You Don't Know Anything
by TwiDi
Summary: Parents' death left her with a new-born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's. How’d she cope her unsaid secrets with the green-eyed jerk’s advances & unknwn lurking danger,EXB,AH,Possessiveward. Razzle Dazzle & Silent Tear Award nmnee
1. Prologue

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Canon-parings.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: So... this is my first story to write! I have been a beta for sometime for some amazing writers who have been supporting me through a lot :) so thank you ladies.. and I really hope that my story gets accepted in the sea of amazing ff that's been getting out lately. So, I would really love it if you left me some reviews and some feedback, telling me if you like it or even if you hate it... I'll always be looking forward for your kind words.**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Prologue**

**BPOV**

"Hello…" I said smiling into the phone.

Nothing in life could have prepared me for what was I about to be told just then… I mean, I am a seventeen, _about to be eighteen, _year-old teenager in the epitome of my life, with straight 'A's and with a vast range of opportunities waiting for me... was just about to hear a bit of news that was going to change the course of my life.

Don't get me wrong, my life has been full of those life-changing events and you would never have described it as _subtle. Still, _I don't think any of those events did to me what this piece of news was pulling me into.

I still remember, at the age of nine, when my mom Renee had packed up our things telling my 'biological' father that she had enough of this miserable life he was leading; pulling me with her to get into the awaiting cab that had our luggage and heading to the airport. At the time, I didn't know what she meant by 'miserable', I mean, we were happy and dad always loved me and cared for me, even though I had rarely seen him. But as I grew old, going back and forth, having to spend the summers with him had showed me exactly what she had meant at the time.

Charlie has always been a quiet person. And if you haven't known him well enough, you would _definitely_ be intimidated. I've come to know him to be always serious and full of decisions. There was _never _arguing with him, whatever he saw 'right' needed to take place and with the appropriate manner. _No argument there._

Moving to Phoenix was definitely a big change in my life; moving to a new climate, a new school and surroundings had made everything change for me. Living with Renee had got my eyes opened on the world around us, being the 'child' that she was, never gave me the opportunity to live my childhood properly, having always to anticipate what she was up to. Even with her position as a school teacher, watching her at school and watching her at home was like watching two different people. She had always cared for people and children and I was like in that way… but seeing her at home striving to keep our home clean and with her disastrous cooking abilities didn't leave me much of an option, but to interfere. But thankfully, not long after we moved there, she got married to her colleague, the baseball coach.

Phil was a different type of man than Charlie, he was full of action. He was 'the man with the plan', the one who would encourage you to do anything to achieve your goals. His way of thinking had pulled me out of my box and allowed me to explore my potentials at so many levels; from being an average student to being a straight 'A' student and the leader of the mathletes team. Being the bookworm that I am, having read more books than any other student and a few teachers in some cases, had allowed me to work part-time at the school library.

The influence that Phil had left on me had pulled me out of my shyness and got me to date the hottest guy in school, Phil's protégé and work of art 'James'. Now, James was one of the sweetest guys I had ever met, he was always there 'swatting' other unwanted guys off my case, always saying the right words and even calling me 'beautiful', which was debatable to me.

Teachers had put so much hope and effort in me, hoping that I will be off to an Ivy-league someday, never doubting my capabilities of achieving; they had supported me in ever possible way.

So, you see now, my life can never be called '_subtle'_ by any means... neither could have the voice who had talked to me on the phone, could have foreseen what his words would be doing to me…

"Is this… um… _Isabella_ uh… Swan?" A nervous man's voice stuttered through the speaker.

"Yes, this is she… who is speaking, please?" I asked uncertainly.

"Um… this is Officer Laurent Mathews. Are you the daughter of Renee and Phil Carter?" he asked.

"Yes, that is correct" I answered getting worried now.

"Miss Swan, um… there has been an accident…"

End Prologue


	2. Chapter 1

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Canon-parings.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: first, I'd like to thank each and everyone who had added either me or my story on their alert or favourite list, the story got more than 120 hits just the first couple of hours, it was amazing… second, thanks for the lovelies who had left their sweet reviews (kuntrygal, Speed Girl 87, lvrofbrnrds, VenusnFurs, edwardrocksmysocks, XoXoEarthbound AngelXoXo, lemonhead67, nisilein, mjuyhnbgtrfv,** **Elizabeth Moffettie, Raven-Rach, faerie kitten, xfarahx, Kerry Hale, isa90, Cydryna Marie, beate73 and one sweet anonymous reviewer) you are all awesome! And third… special thanks to Ericastwilight for pushing me to start working on this story along with Kuntrygal who was a great support.**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter One**

**BPOV**

"I'm _sorry… what?_" I said into the phone.

"There had been an _accident_, Ms. Swan… I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but we need you to be present at Phoenix General Hospital as soon as you can… it's regarding your parents…" he said reluctantly.

"What… _about_ my _parents? Are they okay? My mom? Is she okay? Officer, she's pregnant and almost due? Is she okay? How about Phil? ..."_ my stream of questions was cut-off by Officer _'What's-his-name'_.

"Ms. Swan, I can't talk to you over the phone, we need you to come as soon as you can and then we can discuss the damage that's been done…" but I can't take it any more and I cut-off the bastard "JUST TELL ME, DAMN IT".

So, he starts stammering "Well, umm… the accident was pretty bad, umm… lots of blood and umm… well, I'm sorry to say that um… your…" he voice was cut-off with the loud sirens blaring around him.

"_SIR… OFFICER… SHIT! SIR, CAN YOU HEAR ME?"_ I yelled into the phone, trembling.

"DAMN IT ALL!" I hung up the phone and dial the only person I can count on in these times… _James._

"_Come on… pick up… pick up… pick- Oh HELLO! JAMES!"_ I yell into the phone, tears now streaming down my face.

"_Bells_? Bells, is that you? What's the matt-" I cut him off, "JAMES! I _need you!_ Mom and Dad had been in an accident and I just got a call from an _Officer_ telling me that I need to come to the Hospital _as soon as possible_. James! I don't know what to do! He said that there was a lot of BLOOD! I'm scared James… what if they are gone? What about the baby… you know mom is due this mon-".

He cuts me off, "BELLA! BELLA… listen to me… one second! DON'T PANIC! I'm sure the _nitwit_ that spoke to you was exaggerating… _don't_ panic! I'll be there at your house in five minutes… be ready." And he hung up. I hung up the phone and walked out the door right away.

Needless to say that the next five minutes, were the longest of my life! I didn't change clothes; I just waited in my jeans and T-shirt, waiting for him at the doorstep. The thoughts swirling in my mind giving me whiplash… what's going to happen? The baby? I really hope that they will be fine…

These few months had been amazing, spending the summer with James and working on my extra credits to get to a good Ivy-league school… it's been really amazing.

James… my sweet amazing _James…_ I'm not sure what I did to deserve him, I mean he's beyond handsome; he's blond with a Jock body, since he's the captain of the baseball team at school, with a killer smile that makes my heart melt and the most amazing blue eyes I have ever seen.

James and I had this understanding relationship, we are the most amazing friends and he's my 'unwanted-guy' perfect swat. Since we had tried dating and basically discovered that we'd be better off in the 'best friends' category rather than the 'boyfriend-girlfriend' thing; everything had fallen into place. We were like 2 peas in a pod, he'd start a sentence and I'd complete it. He'd help me in gym and I'd help him in math. And if it wasn't for my discovery that we're better off as friends, I'd have thought that he _was my significant other._

But according to _him_, I deserve a much better man that all the population that's been circling me… and he's _crazy_ to be thinking that… I mean, come on! I'm not ugly, I'm just… plain. Nothing special there kinda girl… long brown hair, brown eyes, porcelain skin and with the _most unfortunate case of left feet ever created_ to walk this earth. So, I'm not sure why James or any other guy for the matter would want to be with me. _Oh, well…_

So, life had been perfect, why couldn't it just _still_ be perfect? I mean… I know that Charlie and mom had a huge fight a couple of years ago about me. Apparently, Charlie didn't think Phil's way to 'opening me up to the world' was a good idea… reckoning it will ruin me and turn me into a '_slut'_. And when mom had mentioned to him that I had been doing very well at school and had even scored a date with the baseball team captain; that had opened all hell gates. So, with the fight and all, mom told me that I'm not going to be spending the summers with Charlie any more. And he's been out of contact, since.

So, now Charlie doesn't know that mom was expecting her baby with Phil, he doesn't know about my grades and my plans. He doesn't know that, with Phil's help, I'll be fit to go to any school I want.

I'm not even sure, if anything should happen _'God forbid', _whether Charlie would be accepting me into his life once more, I know that I'll be 18 soon in September and this is going to be my last year at High School, I mean it's not like I need him to take care of me or anything! _Hell!_ I used to take care of him, feeding him and doing his laundry, whenever I spent the summer with him! I'm not sure how the man survived before!

... And I can't think any more! I just can't think, _damn it! _I shouldn't be thinking that way…

_No, no… _everything will be fine…

Phil is going to be _fine, period._

Mom is going to be _fine, period._

They are going to have _a healthy and happy baby and raise it well, period._

I'll finish up my High school and go to my Ivey-league dream school… with this whole mess… _wishful thinking._

_DAMN! What a mess! I'm already dreading what's coming…_

Speaking of _'coming'_, I heard the familiar roaring engine sound coming from afar and seconds later the screeching of tires as James came to a halt in front of my house. I ran to him and threw myself into the passenger's seat.

Not bothering to wait for me to buckle up my belt, he sped off to the Hospital without a word uttered. I'm not sure how we ended up at the Hospital, I just remember throwing the door open and sprinting into the ER to meet the old lady at the desk.

"_Carter… Phil… Renee… baby… accident… please"_ I said between gasps for air.

"WHOAAA! Slow down, young lady. How can I help you?" She asked again, with concerned look on her face.

"Please, _Maam… My mom and dad were in an accident… my mom is pregnant… Officer called… he said they were here… please, Maam, can I see them? Are they okay? What did the Doct-"._

"Whoaa… one second, hon. Let me see if I can help you… what are your parents' names?" she cut me off.

"Phil and Renee Carter, Maam…" I said and then added quickly "My mom is pregnant and she's due any moment. I need to see them, to make sure they are okay, do you have any inform-" she cut me off again,

"Hon, I'm searching through the records, just give me a second and I'll hel-" but she was cut off by a male deep voice "_Miss Swan… Miss Isabella Swan?"_ he asked eyeing carefully.

"Are you the Officer who had called me?" I asked him quickly not bothering answering his question. And I saw the sadness cloud his eyes almost instantly.

"Yes, Ms… I'm sorry that I didn't call back, but the lines were bad at the tim-" he stammered when I cut him off, "NEVE MIND THAT, NOW! Where are my PARENTS?! What happened to them? Can I see them-" he stopped my questions raising his hand to me.

"Your parents were engaged in a _deadly_ accident, Miss. Swan. The impact was so powerful, they barely made it out of the ca-" I interrupted him, "They made it? Oh my God! They are _alive_? Can I see them, plea-" 'pea-brain' cut me off again "_Miss… Can I finish one sentence without you interrupting me for once?"_

"Well, you better say that _sentence_ of yours real fast, because your stammering is not helping right now…" the familiar strong voice came from beside me and I wanted to kiss him. I think he could see the status I was in right now, knowing for sure that I can't take any more delay in response as I was on the verge of going nuts.

And for a full '30 seconds', James' icy-blue eyes had a glaring contest with Officer 'I'll-talk-your-head-off-till-you-drop'. The one thing you need to know about James in these times is that if he's _pissed_, it won't do you any good to go against him _in any way._

Apparently, James' icy stare and his _physique_ have scared theliving shit out of numb-nut, because he started talking right away. _Officer… my ass!_ "Um… Mr. and Mrs. Carter were brought into the Hospital in a critical condition. Mr. Carter took most of the blow as the impact came from his side of the vehicle and he was pulled out barely breathing and-"

"IS HE ALIVE, DAMN IT!?" I yelled at him, my face red as a tomato from anger. "Young lady… this is _not the right way_ to talk to an Officer of the Police… You shou-"

"Well, _what is the right way…?"_ James cut him off stepping towards him slowly, apparently James' temper was getting the best of him and I wanted to cry… this was neither the right time nor the right person to start a fight with. I put a hand on James' arm, begging him with my eyes not to do anything. He eyed me for a second, sighed and minutely nodded his head.

I looked expectantly at Officer 'Chicken-head' and waited for him to answer, quirking my eyebrow at him. But, nothing could have prepared me for the words he said next.

"THE GUY DIDN'T MAKE IT AND THE LADY IN THE ICU BUT DOESN'T LOOK OKAY, NOT WITH THE BABY AND ALL, _HAPPY NOW?! THERE I SAID IT…"_ 'No-brain' yelled at us.

"IT'S NOT MY FAULT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. IT'S THAT STUPID DRUKEN DRIVER'S FAULT… SO, THERE YOU GO… GO ASK THE DOCTORS… THEY WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING."

Then he all but marched away from us muttering under his breath "_stupid bitch… with the egg-head of a bodyguard of hers…"_ trailing off as he went.

_And everything stopped._

End Chapter One

**AN: Please don't hate me… I really hate cliffies but this looked like a good place to stop…**

**Let me know what you think of James, can you imagine how scared the stupid Officer was lol. Please, let me know what you think… I thought about putting Edward's POV in this chapter to give you a taste of what he's like, but I thought I'd continue with Bella's POV till things are clear.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Canon-parings.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: Thanks for all the people who had added me to their subscription lists or their favourites lists… you are all awesome!**

**Also, thanks for the lovelies who had left their sweet reviews (Ericastwilight, Drama4Twilight, xfarahx, Cassie Rita Marie, XoXoEarthbound AngelXoXo, faerie kitten, Kerry Hale, nisilein, beate73, kuntrygal, Cydryna Marie, goddessa39, lvrofbrnrds, isa90, Raylnn, alwayswatchingtv, TwilightMom131 and pixielovestoshop) you are all awesome!**

**And special thanks to my sweetest amazing friends Ericastwilight and Kuntrygal for their great and amazing support.**

**xfarahx, you are so sweet… thanks for helping me out in this chapter.**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Two**

**BPOV**

_Beep… beep… beep…_

_Would some one stop the beeping already_… what's going on… _I'm sure mom wanted revenge since I had slept in the other day and changed the stupid alarm!_

"Is she awake?" a familiar female voice whispered from somewhere beside me. And I tried to will my eyes to open, but the pounding in my head made them yield to stay close.

"I think she will be soon, she hit her head pretty hard…" the familiar male voice whispered near me.

"_James…"_ I asked in a low hoarse voice, still not being able to open my eyes. "Bella! Bella, are you okay? Let me call the Doctor…" and I felt him speeding away from my side.

I tried to move my body and started to open my eyes; squinting while my eyes fluttered opened, trying to focus on the surrounding and on the speeding beeping sound. I locked eyes with a familiar pair of icy-blue ones that were full of concern.

"_Tanya_! What are doing here? Umm…" I looked around me scanning where I was laid, registering how I had wires on my body connected to the now 'going-nuts' heart monitor. _What the hell!_ "Tanya… _where am I_? _what happened?"_ why was Tanya here? I looked around trying to concentrate to make sense of my surroundings.

"Um… don't you remember, dear? You had fainted and managed to hit your head while at it…" she looked at me cautiously, trying to help me sit up. Tanya was James' mother and she's my mother's best friend. _Mother… _I gasped loudly.

MOTHER! Suddenly, everything came rushing into my mind…

_Phone call… James… Hospital… Officer nitwit 'telling' me everything… Phil… DEAD! Mom… _I gasped another time… _Where is MOM..._ and then I gasped some more. Getting the air in and out of my lungs suddenly became a huge effort and I started hyperventilating.

"Bella! Bella, calm down, please… honey. Everything will be fine, sweetie. Everything will be okay… Breathe, Bella… take some deep breaths for me… that's it… _good_ _girl"_ James kept rubbing my back in soothing circles trying to calm me my God, _my mother…_

"James, my mother… how is she now? How is the baby? Is she better? Can I see her now? Please, tell me she's better…" all questions came out of my mother in a rush as I tried to get out of bed to head out to see my mom. But he stopped me and pulled me back to bed. "Bella, honey… are you okay? How are you feeling now? Does your head still hurt? Are you feeling dizzy or nauseated? Are you col-" he started asking me keeping eye contact with my the whole time, as if trying to convey a message.

I looked at him for a second and shifter my sight to his mother who had tears streaming down her cheeks while trying to hush her sniffles by holding a hand to her mouth… and it all downed on me.

"James… _where is my mother?_" I asked looking him square in the eye. He shifted his gaze and I lost it. "_Oh my God… Ohmygodohmygodohmygod… mom… she's… she's… mom… OH GOD!"_ and all the pent up emotions from fear to sadness to panic to grief… all blew up in a loud wail and I started to cry tears streaming down my face.

Convulsions shook my form as I cried and cried, all the while James holding me to his chest. Phrases like 'she didn't suffer', 'she's at peace now', 'I'm here for you', 'everything will be okay' and 'at least you won't be all alone' came out of his mouth; that last sentence registering something in my mind that I couldn't fathom. Once he saw me trying to catch my breath, he looked at the Doctor who nodded at him and approached me, raising a soothing hand at me. He neared the machine, pressing some buttons and things started to become fuzzy for me. I looked at James who gave me the 'everything will be okay' look, keeping his concerned gaze locked with me.

"I… don… don't wa… want… t… t… to sleep" I said through hiccups, trying to keep my eyes open. "Sleep now, sweets. Everything will be okay, I promise you…" his soothing voice started to trail off towards the end as I started to drift to unconsciousness, trying to see what is going to happen next.

-------------------------

I woke up to the hideous beeping noise again, feeling someone holding my hand. I opened my eyes slowly to find James by my side holding my hand rubbing soothing circles on its back. He looked at me warily, trying to gauge my chances of breaking down again. I looked at him, tears brimming my eyes.

"_James… she's dead, isn't she?"_ I whispered to him with the last of hope. "Sorry, kiddo… they tried everything, but the damage was deep and they couldn't do anything…" he said with such sorrow, that I willed myself not to cry for his benefit. He looked about to collapse next to me; apparently the emotional effort he was doing to keep me calm was taking a toll on him.

I looked at him for a minute trying to figure a look of unease in his eyes. I sat up slowly, with his help and propped myself with a pillow behind my back. He didn't say anything. I cocked my head and opened my mouth but closed it. I kept gazing at him for a minute and then asked "what _aren't_ you telling me?" finishing my question, I could hear the heart monitor starting to beep faster.

He looked up at the monitor and then back at me. "Calm down, Bella. It's nothing bad… On the contrary… it's something good, _for a change…" _muttering the last part to himself. "WHAT?" I all but yelled. He looked at me startled. "Bella! I told you it's _nothing bad_. Please, calm down." He tried to sooth me again. I closed my eyes took a few deep breaths and looked at him expentantly.

"Your brother _survived"_ he said in a low voice with a hint of a smile gracing his sad face, as if he can see the far light at the end of the long dark tunnel. I looked at him blankly. _My brother? Oh my God! I forgot about the baby… I can't believe I've been acting like a total bitch while another person, or rather baby, needed me._

I jumped from my bed, getting light-headed from my sudden rush movement. "_What?! My mother had the baby? You mean he survived? Oh, God! Is he alright? Is he-"_ I asked sitting back on the edge of the bed trying to ease the dizziness I have felt.

"He's perfectly fine, believe it or not. He's a _survivor…_ I saw him, Bella. He looks so much like you… he has your brown hair, I couldn't see what eye colour he has, as he was closing his eyes at the time… but he is _beautiful…_ just like his sister" he said holding me to his side as he sat beside me, caressing my face when he said the last part.

I looked at him as a smile broke on my face and a tear slipped from my eye.

"_He survived!_ I can't believe it… Oh my God! I have a brother…" I trailed off, my smile widening causing a wider smile to appear on James' face. "Yes, sweets. And he's beautiful. And he's been crying asking for his sister to grace him with a visit…" trying with his old sweet ways to take my mind off my latest losses, I looked at him and gave him a small kiss on his cheek. I backed away getting up, slowly, from my bed. "Lead the way, _champ._" I said playfully holding his hand, trying to tell him not to communicate to him not to worry about me any more.

He eyed me for a couple of seconds, then made his way slowly out of the room, making sure that my IV lines are keeping pace beside me. He walked through the corridors, nodding at a few nurses who were giving me a looks of sympathy and pity. I lowered my gaze and I walked more closely to James until he came to an abrupt stop causing me to crash to him.

He looked at me questioningly and I shook my head that all is fine. He smiled and gestured with his head to a room across from us that had a glass window that overlooks the corridor. I looked at him and he gave me a small nod and guided me gently towards the glass. I looked through the glass to see a dozen or so of baby blue and pick cribs. My eyes welled with tears and I smiled; the sight of the babies can make a dead heart start beating again.

I looked up at James who was eyeing me with a breathtaking smile on his face. Honestly, I don't know I resisted his charm… I smiled wider at him and looked back into the room. I started searching for my brother, admiring all the babies my eyes settle on, that is until I saw him… my gaze stopped at a beautiful angel all cuddled in his small blue blanket nibbling on his balled fist. I continued to look at him, forgetting all what was around me and I felt time freeze.

_Determination_… I think that was the look I had on my face, because when I looked up at James and saw him staring back at me with an understanding. I opened my mouth to speak and closed it a second later looking back at the glass towards my baby brother. I opened my mouth again, "Has anyone called Charlie, yet?" He eyed me quizzically and cocked a brow at me as if asking me, _'of all the things to say or ask this is the one you choose?'_, I repeated the question, "Has _anyone_ contacted Charlie, _yet?_".

I knew that soon enough, someone will be calling Charlie to inform him of the unfortunate accident that had occurred to his _daughter's parents._ And since I'm still under eighteen, still having a few months till my birthday in September, I knew that I'll be leaving to be under his care.

"Not _yet,_ the number on the emergency call list was my mom's number. Your mom changed the number after the last 'encounter' with Charlie… but, _why are you asking that?"_ I asked trying to figure out what definitely looked like relief on my face.

"Okay, listen to me… I'm going to explain everything now, but I need you to hear me out till the end and not interrupt, can you do that?" I asked him warily, knowing how he'd react to the thought now more solid in my mind. "Umm… yeah, _sure._ Let's hear it…" I took his hand in my right one and took the IV-drip stand in my left and lead him to what seemed to be a small supplies storage room. I made sure no one was looking, I pushed him into it, following him in and locking the door behind us.

"Okay… now. You need to hear me through the end. The reason I was asking if someone had called Charlie, was because Charlie thinks that Phil and mom's way of 'raising' me was totally wrong and that totally ruined. He thinks that being open in school and that _one date_ I had with you ages ago, had opened me for fornication and such-" he cut me off just as I expected, "_but it was only a lousy date and we ended up being friends and nothing more…"_ he trailed off when he saw the look on my face. "_sorry…_ won't happen again".

"I _sure_ hope not. So, since Charlie and mom weren't on very good terms… he would be more than willing to take me, but definitely _won't_ be taking _JC… umm… what!"_ I said running out of patience. "_JC_?_" _he asked impishly, seeing that I was already into my full 'braini-bella' mode. "Well, yeah. JC! As in _James Carter… what it doesn't sound good? James as in… you and Carter… because I wanted a piece of Phil in him, being his baby and all…"_ I trailed off, letting it sink with him. And seeing comprehension down on him, I took it as my cue to continue.

"So, as I said before, Charlie won't be taking _JC_ into his house and he would definitely put him up for adoption or something, not wanting a baby to be an obstacle in my academic, careen or any path of my life at that. So… if I said that JC is _my kid_, he'll be obliged to take the both of us in. Since I can't be separated from _my son_ and-" "WHAT!" he cut in quickly.

"_Are you crazy?! I knew you hit your head bad, I just knew it. What the hell, Bella?"_ I gave him a stern glare communicating with my eyes 'that this is the second time you had interrupted me'. He whispered an apology and asked me to continue.

"Again, as I was saying… Charlie would be willing to take me because I'm his daughter, but I don't think he's going to take JC. I mean… with me completing the adoption papers and all, which I can sign with the help of _your mother,_ hopefully, I will have no problem keeping JC with me as if he was really _my own… _And if you look at it from all the angles, it's going to be _perfect._ I mean, I'll have JC with me and since Charlie thinks that I'm already ruined, he will not doubt that JC is mine. I'll even ask teachers here to talk to the teachers, at the High School in Forks that's going to take me in, in order to help me with the baby and all. This may allow me to have the baby in a nearby nursery and with my grades and credits; they'd probably grant me more hours to spend with the baby, you know… as a baby needing to be with his mother and all…" I finished with a smile knowing that my thoughts had already sunk into place in his head.

He eyed me for a minute and sighed. With that I knew that this will work. "So, I take it that you _concur_, Mr. Damian?" I asked him playfully. And the Cheshire-cat grin that appeared on his lips told me all I needed to know. "hmm… okay then. First, I want to speak to the doctors to see if everything with JC is fine and then we need to sit and _talk_ to know what exactly we need to do." Grabbing his hand I dragged him out of the storage room and into the nursery.

I talked to the doctor who assured me that everything with JC was perfect and told me that the birth certificate had been prepared and ready. I think him and pulled on James' hand to guide him back to my room, feeling all awake and full of energy. I pressed the button for the nurse, who had come in immediately, and told her that I need my IV needle to be removed. She nodded and went to call the doctor for a final check up and all. I was cleared out in an hour's time, set free to leave the hospital.

James and I took that hour to set our stories and action plan straight so we don't miss out anything. Once James' mom came back, as she had to leave to grab me some clothes, she gave me a big hug and tried to reassure me that everything will be fine. I took her to the cafeteria and sat down with James' by my side. Taking a deep breath, I told her what I wanted to do. Unlike James', Tanya had listened to me without interruptions. And once I finished, she gave me a long gaze and sighed… _I guess like mother like son._

"Honey, I know how you feel right now. You are all overwhelmed by the loss of your parents. Did you come to think that maybe adoption might be a better option for you until you're out of college at least-" "NO! No, Tanya, I can't loose JC! I already lost mom and dad and now he's the only one left for me. Please, I won't ask anything else of you for the rest of my life… just, please help me with this and I will be in your debt for the rest of my life. I swear.

"I just need you for two things, first to get the baby out of the hospital, which you will be able to do, being the temporary guardian of myself and JC and all. Since, they will be expecting you to contact Charlie in order to inform him of what had happened. So, all 'information' we want to convey to him, will be easily disbursed. And the second big and huge favour I need from you is for you to help me in the adoption process. This will be something amazing. I know I'll be able to sign all the proper papers once I'm eighteen. I just need to start right away… I need you to be his official guardian right now and once I'm of age, I'll sign the papers… _what do you say?_" I pleaded, tears welling in my eyes.

We sat there for the next 10 minutes not saying a word to each other. I couldn't even look Tanya in the eye while waiting for her response; I just looked at my feet, scared shitless of what was about to come out of her mouth. And then, I heard it. The sigh… the best sound I had ever heard, or so I thought. I knew then I had her. I sprang from my seat and threw my whole wait on her hugging her and kissing her like crazy, with the tears falling from my eyes.

"_Thank you… I owe you so much…_" I whispered into her ear and she hugged me back. I gazed at James who was smiling at me and I knew all will be fine.

------------------------------------------

The next few days flew up in a haze… handling a baby on your own was _hell!_ I'm not sure how the heck moms do it all the time… I mean feeding… changing… bathing… and just getting him to sleep was one of the chores that had to be planned ahead… music seemed to lull him to sleep and he loved it when I rubbed his back. Getting to know how to handle your baby was amazing though. I had asked Tanya not help me with JC, since I needed to learn to manage on my own on a later stage.

Tanya being the angel she is… she took a few days off of work to take care of all the funeral arrangements for mom and Phil; which was done in a solemn ceremony worthy of their memory. She also promised that she will take care of selling the house and putting all the proceeds into my bank account. Knowing that I'll be needing the money for raising JC and later for my college life. She had even offered me a small loan to settle into my new life till the house is sold as I'm going to need it when I move in with Charlie.

Ah… Charlie, to say that he was annoyed would be the understatement of the century. I think he was already plotting to make me get rid of JC. He had already given me a speech about how my mom's 'no good' upbringing methods had led to this unfortunate situation. He said that he will be expecting me in a week's time and that he'll get me a few things for my old bedroom.

The insurance company called me a week after the accident having prepared the compensation cheque for the car. Tanya helped me deposit the cheque and then we went for a shopping spree to buy everything that you could imagine a baby would need _sans_ furniture. I also got a car seat, since we will be _driving_ to Forks. James and I had agreed to drive to Forks since the baby, according to the doctor, was still too young to fly; so, with part of the insurance money, I decided to go with the safest car in the world… _Volvo…_ I got the V50 Family car model. It was spacious and had enough room for all the things I wanted to bring with me.

Packing and getting everything ready to sell the house I had lived in for so long, was excruciating to say the least. Every part of the house reminded me of mom and Phil, the whole day I'd spend the time crying and packing till my eyes are all red and puffy and my body tense and ready to collapse at any moment… It didn't help that JC was having a field day, trying the whole 'freaking Bella out of her mind' thing with his crying; a couple of ER trips in the middle of the night had taught me that it was all _gas_ and nothing serious. The Doctor had advised me to use a special formula saying it will be easier on his stomach and he was right… JC was an _angel_…

I had packed everything in the car, most of it being JC's. Cash, IDs, grades' cards, letter of recommendations from my teachers and the ticket I purchased for James for him to fly back after driving me to Forks… everything was set.

Forks here I come…

**End Chapter Two**

**AN: A long chapter this one, let me know what you think… what do you think of James so far? Do you like the Baby's name… and how about that Volvo option… and isn't Tanya an Angel! R&R, please…**


	4. Chapter 3

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Canon-parings.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: Okay people… the long awaited chapter comes, our own Edward is coming into the picture right now, aren't you just getting giddy to hear what he has to say? I know I am…**

**Thanks for the lovelies who had left their sweet reviews (ericastwilight, Kerry Hale, Edward's-a-beefcake, pixielovestoshop, beate73, alwayswatchingtv, Haleydove, XoXoEarthbound AngelXoXo, Chloe McMurray, lemonhead67, Lavianca, Nicki Nick, Speed Girl 87, Raylnn, Cydryna Marie, YankeeDiva, Drama4Twilight, kuntrygal, faerie kitten, dominiqueanne, xfarahx, jktwi, AdabellaCullen, isa90, Hope4more, ChrissyBellaDiva and EJ Santry) you are all AMAZING!**

****

**xfarahx, you are so sweet… thanks for helping me out in this chapter.**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Three**

**EPOV**

"Sure, mom. I'll be there tomorrow morning." I spoke gently to my mom on the phone.

"And, honey, easy on the speed." She warned me.

"I won't be speeding. Why do you even tell me that?" God! Why can't parents just trust their kids, it's not like I'm a five year old!

"Because you already have _200_ Dollars worthy of _speeding tickets_, honey" Esme said calmly.

_Oh, that's why… sure then._

"Okay, mom, see you soon." I said a quick goodbye and hung up.

I was on my way home after a long summer vacation in _Sunny California_. I just spent a tremendous amount of my dad's money on a very-well earned vacation. Apparently, he saw that it was fit that since I'm getting all straight 'A's in my classes I deserved to be rewarded.

I mean, having been born to a wealthy family's got to have its advantages. And having the good looks wouldn't do you any harm either… and I was the _jerk_ that got it all! Of course, _Jerk_ being the name bestowed on me from most of the female population at Forks High School. We have moved here only 2 years ago and I was already done tapping all the pussies here that I had to move to another _State_ for some new 'scenery'.

I'm still not sure why dad still insists on staying in that Godforsaken town, being the great Doctor and all. If I were him, I wouldn't be settling for a small place like Forks. California would be a good choice for him since he's a great surgeon; he'd snatch a good position in any hospital there and get all the benefits any doctor would dream about. But since dad was an 'old school' doctor, like 'help the people without expecting anything back' kind of doctor, it would be hard to convince him to move anywhere in the world.

I just recently 'blew' my eighteenth birthday candles. Alice, my sister, had made sure of it. She actually had bought me a cake on my birthday, got me all 18 candles, gathered the family for 'the birthday event' and actually made _me_ blow out the candles.

I wasn't sure what she was thinking though… thinking maybe she just wanted to give me the PG-rated version of a normal birthday party since she knew that my girls were already throwing me a _birthday party_. Turns out, mom and dad were really proud of me for doing great at school and wanted to surprise me with my baby… my _Volvo._

And now speeding down the highway, trying to cover as much mileage during daylight, I had entered Washington State and it was already afternoon. I remembered a motel that I came across while heading out the State; deciding to head there for the night, I spotted a gas station and decided on getting a fill and grab some snack from the store there before going for my target.

Parking beside the gas pump I got out of my vehicle and spotted _another_ really elegant silver Volvo, although this looked like a family car. I started filling in my car all the while eyeing the other car; there was a blond guy around my age leaning against it, apparently waiting for someone in the convenient store. I noticed that he had a baby strapped in the car seat and the trunk of the car, being visible to me, was filled with luggage and stuff as if he was on the move. Once done, I put the pump back in place and decided to go to the store.

I left my car near a few old cars in the parking lot and headed to the store. Entering the store I noticed the two men working at the register talking animatedly, apparently they were excited about a beautiful girl who just got into the store. I looked around spotting a few people shopping around, just then I spotted her. A young woman my age was walking through the snack aisle tossing some bags into her basket, while talking on her cell. I proceeded towards her trying to get a better look while tossing a few packs of chips into my basket.

She had beautiful long brown hair cascading down her back in loose curls; she was wearing fitting dark jeans that accentuated her curves and a dark blue t-shirt that fit her just right showing an ample amount of cleavage. Ah… _just my type._ I still couldn't see her face clearly; but from that sliver I could see when she bent down to grab something from the lower shelf, she has fair skin. I just hope that she has a nice face to match that Venus body of hers.

"Yes, Tanya… no everything went well, we'll be there in the morning……. No, don't worry. I'm going to call you the minute we reach the house. Mostly, we are going to set everything up before I drive him to the airport. _If_ he lets me drive him to the airport..."

She had an amazingly soothing voice as if she was used to speak in a hushed tone or something. I was so intrigued; I just had to see her face, so the jerk in me acted right away. I walked past her, bumping her shoulder with mine, almost knocking her off her feet. I steadied her on her feet and everything stopped. A pair of amazing brown pools was glaring at me and I stood there like the dummy that I am just gaping at her. She had a heart-shaped face, plump lips that begged for kissing, porcelain skin that you'd want to stroke just to be able to imagine how it would feel under your fingertips, her cheeks were flushed pink; a pink that made me wonder if it matched any other special parts of her exquisite body. She also, had some dark shades under her eyes like she's been losing sleep.

While I stood there gawking at her, she finished her conversation and continued to glare at me, as if she was expecting an apology or something, _strange_… "So, are you gonna apologize or are you gonna drool a bit more?" she seethed at me. I regained my composure and went immediately for the kill . I gave her my infamous crooked grin and cocked my head to the side, "Well, _Miss._ I'm not sure I am the one who should be apologizing, as you were the one in _my_ way. Seeing that you were talking on your cell, perhaps you should have paid more attention to your surroundings, don't you think? But I'll tell you what… how about we go to a cafe, you buy me coffee, I get to know you a bit more and I'll let this go…" I said in a smooth voice never missing a beat.

"I'll tell you what, _Asshole._ I'm _not_ going to apologize to you! You were the blind bat who bumped into me, almost knocking me off my feet and in this _wide aisle, _if I may add. And now you are asking me to apologize! Are you mentally challenged or something! Usually the person who bumps into another person, does the apologizing. But, not you apparently… just because you _think_ you have some good looks, it doesn't give you the right to think that any girl would fall for that cheap and stupid pick up line of yours. No, _Penny-head_! Not all the girls out there are with pea-brains. But since you acted like an Airhead I think it should be fit that I treat you like one… So… _No, Dickhead. I'm not going to apologise to you…_

"But I'll tell you what you should do; you are going to turn around and walk away. And while you're at it… you might want to rethink what life has taught you about females… then I want you to erase it all and to set the following piece of information straight in that little head of yours… _Assholes_ like you are the reason why girls are afraid to commit. _Pin-brains like you _are the reason why so many intellegent women in the female gender have turned into complete Airheads trying to appease the _likes_ of you. So, _Asshole…_ I don't want to apologize and I don't want your apology any more… just get the fuck out of my face!" and she stormed away from me.

I must have stood there for a good 2 minutes before I began moving to the register. Trying to get what the hell just happened there. It was crazy… what had I said to get such a weird reaction! I was just trying to open a conversation with her, _well okay, I wanted to snatch her and show her how the stamina of an eighteen year old would be a good thing to fulfil each and every fantasy she had in just one night…_

But, no… _Miss_ _Righteous_ _Bitch_ was majoring in Cock-blocking and just got her Diploma, _with honours,_ if I may say. I can't believe she reacted like that! No female had the power to talk down to me, _yet,_ or even try to resist me. HECK! I'm Edward 'voodoo the girl into the sack in front of her mother while her father is smiling' Cullen! No one has the right to speak to me like that.

I paid for my stuff and walked out of the market trying to spot 'Miss Bitch' but, alas, she was gone. I walked to my Volvo like a kid who just lost his puppy and drove away taking my time thinking about that Goddess. I reached the motel in no time, spotting the same Volvo in one of the parking spots in front of one of the rooms.

I got to my room, had a quick shower and went to bed. That beautiful bitch wouldn't leave my mind. And of course, my dirty little mind got into thinking about scenarios on how I should have reacted to her little _'snap'_. I should have bent her down and spanked that little _booty_ of hers like there was no tomorrow. And then I'd show her how to speak to a _man _of my standings. _I'm no kid, you bitch!_

I tossed and turned in my bed trying to get a good sleep in order to get an early start in the morning, but with no use. The _neighbours _with their baby had other plans. The poor bastard kept crying for the most part of the night. And once he stopped crying, I'd gone back to my fantasies about the _spiteful bitch_. Sleep only found me around 2 am.

_Beep… beep… beep…_

"DAMN IT!" I pressed the snooze button on the alarm clock and rolled in bed, I looked at the clock and it read 5 am. Hmm… maybe a few more minutes and I'll get up. I closed my eyes for what felt like a second and opened them again. I glanced at the clock and it read 8 am. SHIT! FUCK IT ALL! I'm late.

I shot out of bed, got to a quick shower and ran through the door. I noticed that the other Volvo wasn't in its place from last night. I hopped into my car and sped my way. Rain hasn't stopped from the moment I had left Seattle to reach Forks. Once in the familiar streets of my town, I slowed down my racing, not wanting yet another rendezvous with the traffic police for another speeding ticket. I mean honestly, you'd think being a neighbour with the _Chief of Police_ would give you a kind of clearance of some sort… but _no_. Mr. Swan, The Chief, had me in his head. He just didn't trust me, as if he could see right through me.

I got into my parking spot and got out quickly, to get my stuff out of the trunk. I looked at the Chief's house and to my amazement; the same Volvo was parked in front of the house, sans the stuff in the trunk. I sprinted into my house, wondering if mom got the chance to meet the new comers.

"Mom! I'm home…" dragging that last bit of my sentence. And sure enough, I heard hurried footsteps speeding down the stairs. "Honey! Welcome back! You are late… anything happened with you on the road, what delayed you? Did you get a flat-" I cut my mothers interrogation short, "MOM! I'm fine, here look at me…" I spun around giving her a good look that I was fine. "See… all good, I just couldn't sleep last night and I slept in this morning. Nothing is wrong." I assured her.

"I'm so happy that you are here, this will give you a chance to meet our lovely new neighbour whom we've invited to dinner tonight…" she smiled at me heading towards the kitchen. _Our lovely new neighbour… what the hell._ "What new neighbours mom? Is the Chief moving?" _yes! I did a victory dance in my head,_ "No, honey… his daughter just came here from Phoenix, apparently her mother and step-dad died in an accident and she needed to move back to be with her father." _Damn… that was a close one. Oh, well._

Remembering the guy and the baby in that car, "So, how old is she? Is she married?" I asked subtly, fishing for more information. "Who told you that she was married?" she asked me sharp tone that got me to take a few steps back. Esme never acted like that unless it was a sensitive subject that wanted special attention. "Nobody told me anything, mom… I just saw the car seat in the car that was parked next door…" _phew, good save Cullen._ "hmm, well. What you, your brother and your sister need to know is that the girl had an 'accident' in her old school and had ended up with a baby…" "WHOA! Back up a bit… she got herself knocked up!" I said trying not to burst into laughter.

"EDWARD! No smart ass remarks, please. This is serious. The girl is here for support from _all of us_… she'll be attending school with you and the others. So, please be supportive. I met her. She's a sweet girl and from what I hear a _very_ smart girl who got herself tangled with the wrong crowd. So, for my sake… please, _attempt_ to be nice to her and no more of those remarks." She gave me a pleading look. I sighed and nodded my head.

"Thank you, son. I knew I could depend on you." She said happily, "now, run along, have a shower and some rest before dinner. Dinner's at six as usual." She said returning to her cooking. I turned around and left to my room. No one was in the house, my siblings having gone to meet their significant others. I got a quick shower and emptied my bag from the trip into the laundry and went to have a quick nap before dinner.

I woke up to the sounds of people chatting downstairs, apparently I had slept more than I had intended again. I got up, went to the bathroom to wash my face and attempt to brush my hair. Once I started heading down stairs, I started to feel a little giddy… what if she was a hideous creature who would throw herself at me? Or maybe she would try and get me to baby-sit her baby to go for more of her 'conquests'? I started to approach the kitchen when I heard a very familiar voice talking to my mother.

"It's alright, Esme… I'll get the chicken to the table, you finish up what you-" she stopped talking, her face registering the shock from seeing me, where I'm sure my face was mirroring hers.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't the _Righteous Spiteful Bitch…_" I said with a wicked grin.

**End Chapter Three**

**AN: What do you think my sweet readers… it was really hard to get this chapter out. Please, let me know what you think… what do you think of that little encounter lol when she called him pennyhead as a reference to his hair colour.. did you like it ;) and how do think things are turning out… what do you think about the neighbours bit lol! R&R, please…**


	5. Chapter 4

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Canon-parings.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: Okay people… I loved the reaction I got from Edward's chapter lol, I've passed the 100 reviews Thank you to everyone who reviewed :)**** and just for that last chapter… I got me 47… yes **_**47**_** reviews! Can you believe that and all thanks to…**

**ericastwilight, Kerry Hale, StupidityComesWithAHighIQ, karenkaraoke, EC4me, lvrofbrnrds, azulskies, nermalasu, pixielovestoshop, Chalger, mckl, beate73, Hanzt21, alwayswatchingtv, XoXoEarthbound AngelXoXo, sonyabrady1971, Chloe McMurray, MeetMeInMontauk, midsummerstars, hammondgirl, Kimbercat98, Burrberry Bugsy, winternow, Raylnn, Cydryna Marie, YankeeDiva, twloha14, Drama4Twilight, kuntrygal, faerie kitten, TwilightMom131, xfarahx (the 100****th****), jktwi, AdabellaCullen, isa90, Hope4more, ChrissyBellaDiva, goodbyeiloveu, EJ Santry, beadel91, Mandav, rockstgrl69, twilightfan303, blubuttrfly10, kimbo06 and PyroWhore**

**You are all AMAZING!**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Four**

**BPOV**

"That's a good boy… yes, baby… there you go…" I cooed at my baby after giving him his bottle. The bond I was starting to feel towards JC was amazing; with each passing day, the feeling that he was actually _mine _grew stronger_._ The gazes that I got from people around me, no longer held any significance to me.

I put the bottle aside and held him against my torso with his head leaning on my shoulder to burp him; I rubbed his back gently, waiting for him to give that small sound…_ and there it was._ I smiled at him, placed him back in his bassinet and covered him, giving him a small kiss in the process. Once I made sure he was asleep, I took the bottle, rinsed it and placed it in the bottle sterilizer.

For the past three days of our journey, the first steps of the day would start from our motel room; I'd wake up bright and early to start preparing JC's stuff, leaving James to get as much sleep as possible. And I swear to God, whoever came up with those baby gadgets was a genius… because of those little things like bottle sterilizer and bottle warmer; we didn't have to stop a lot on our way to Forks. After preparing everything, I'd give JC his first bottle of the day, give him his bath and wake up James for his. Once James is in the shower, I'd prepare a small breakfast and eat a bit. When James is out, I'd go in for my shower. Then, I'd prepare all the bottles for JC's meals and we'd leave.

We'd had to stop once or twice during the day at gas stations and convenience stores for a fill of gas, to use the toilet and pick up our grown-up food. But to get our rest, the motel was our haven. And up till now everything went smoothly.

This was our third day; and it was already a bad one. It all started off last night… it was a bit cold and James had insisted on having some pizza before heading to the motel. I wasn't very hungry, so I settled for a quick sandwich. Upon reaching the motel, James had been done with the box of pizza. I picked up JC and headed to our room, fed him gave him his bath and started rocking him to sleep. When I was done, James had started to look a bit flushed. I touched his forehead and sure enough he had a fever. I gave him some pills and covered him up.

For the most part of night, I stayed up taking care of James. Hardly getting any sleep at all, I got out of bed for my 'start of day' routine. I got JC his bottle discovering to my dismay that he was having bad gas pains. _Perfect, just what I need right now… _I thought.

James got up looking like hell; the fever had gone, thank God. But it was definitely not a good idea to let him drive in this state. I asked him to take his bath fixing him a sandwich in order for him to gain his strength and then went for my bath once he got out.

I took the morning driving shift, hoping that James would gain his strength for later on. He slept the whole time I was driving. I woke him up around ten for our first stop at a gas station, thanking God that he looked better. I did my routine of feeding JC, changing him and picking up our lunch from the market. And miraculously, I convinced James that I should be driving a bit more till he was better.

It was past noon when I had reached a second gas station. This time, James was up and running _almost_ fully. I left him filling up the car. Holding JC I headed to the store for the routine. When I was done, I headed back to James telling him to use the men's room in order for me to use the toilet after him. Once James was back, I went back to the convenience store to use the ladies' room and grab a few snacks for the rest of our day.

Once I was done with my business, I washed my hands and glanced at my image in the mirror. I looked like hell. My face was paler than usual, since I wasn't getting enough sleep during this journey, especially last night. I had five o'clock circles under my eyes and my hair was a tangled mess! I splashed my face with some water and ran my fingers through my hair trying to remove the knots… _which was a futile effort._ I sighed and went back inside the market. Grabbing a basket, I decided to give Tanya a call. I dialled her number, making my way to the snacks aisle.

I started talking, telling her about the latest developments, when I sensed a presence behind me. I caught a glimpse of _him_ from the corner of my eye, he looked like he was trying to take a good look at me; ignoring him I continued talking to Tanya while tossing a few packs of chips into my basket.

"Yes, Tanya… no everything went well, we'll be there in the morning……. No, don't worry. I'm going to call you the minute we reach the house. Mostly, we are going to set everything up before I drive him to the airport. _If_ he lets me drive him to the airport..." I tried soothing her knowing that she was panicking now since she was cutting me off every other word.

Just then, I felt someone bumping into me from behind almost knocking me off my feet. I gasped and braced my self for the impact, closing my eyes. But the impact never came. Instead, I felt too strong arms grabbing my forearms steadying me on my feat. I looked up wanting to snap at him, but I couldn't. The only thing I could do was glare. His wide green eyes were the first things I registered while I 'glared' at him, moving my glance to his perfect nose and to rest on his lips, _hmm… I wonder how they'd feel against mine_. I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts; I quickly ended my conversation with Tanya and returned to my glaring contest with him.

His face was a masterpiece that couldn't be compared to anybody else's. His features were painted with the most precision; his pale skin was flawless, almost as pale as mine. And bronze hair that would put the shiny pennies to shame. He was_ the personification of Adonis._

I stood there still glaring at him while he gawked at me a bit more. I'm sure that my stance had showed that I had been expecting an apology, so I voiced my thoughts "So, are you gonna apologize or are you gonna drool a bit more?" I seethed at him.

Apparently my words brought him back from where ever he was and he chose that moment to ruin any good thought I had about him; he cocked his head to the side and smiled crookedly at me "Well, _Miss._ I'm not sure I am the one who should be apologizing, as you were the one in _my_ way. Seeing that you were talking on your cell, perhaps you should have paid more attention to your surroundings, don't you think? But I'll tell you what… how about we go to a cafe, you buy me coffee, I get to know you a bit more and I'll let this go…" he said without missing a breath.

_Huh? Really? Do I really seem the type? Hell, even he didn't seem like a cocky airhead._

Let's just say that the last twelve hours' events had left their toll on me. And the fact that I had been stressing out the whole ride, worrying about JC, being anxious about meeting Charlie for the first time in a few years and fretting over James' condition didn't do good to the state my nerves were in…

So, I drew in a long breath and _I started…_

"I'll tell you what, _Asshole._ I'm _not_ going to apologize to you! You were the blind bat who bumped into me, almost knocking me off my feet and in this _wide aisle, _if I may add. And now you are asking me to apologize! Are you mentally challenged or something! Usually the person who bumps into another person, does the apologizing. But, not you apparently… just because you _think_ you have some good looks, it doesn't give you the right to think that any girl would fall for that cheap and stupid pick up line of yours. No, _Penny-head_! Not all the girls out there are with pea-brains. But since you acted like an Airhead I think it should be fit that I treat you like one… So… _No, Dickhead. I'm not going to apologise to you…_

"But I'll tell you what you should do; you are going to turn around and walk away. And while you're at it… you might want to rethink what life has taught you about females… then I want you to erase it all and to set the following piece of information straight in that little head of yours… _Assholes_ like you are the reason why girls are afraid to commit. _Pin-brains like you _are the reason why so many intelligent women in the female gender have turned into complete Airheads trying to appease the _likes_ of you. So, _Asshole…_ I don't want to apologize and I don't want your apology any more… just get the fuck out of my face!" with the last word I stormed away from him.

I knew I was harsh and almost immediately started to feel the guilt delving my insides. I mean, he was just a _normal_ guy… all the guys I had met acted like that, so, why did his action bother me? Maybe I was expecting him to act differently towards me? Like he would show me that I was something special… or he could dazzle me with a sweet opening line with the intention of really knowing me… _not that he didn't dazzle me, mind you._

I paid for the stuff and headed to James and JC. My face was flushed from the rant session I had done and James knew something was up right away.

"What happened?" he demanded, getting into full protective mode.

"Nothing, James. Just drive, please…" I sighed and got into the car. I glanced at the back seat where JC was sleeping peacefully in his car seat; I adjusted his blanket, sighing contently and turned to face James who had just buckled up his seat belt.

"_What happened?_ You know I won't drive till you give me an answer." I asked again. _Damn! He was so stubborn. Well, two can play the game…_

"I'll tell you _while_ you're driving." I stated opening a pack of chips, popping a few into my mouth while gazing out of the windshield.

He sighed, knowing how stubborn I can be, putting the gear into drive and racing down the highway. He stayed silence for almost half an hour and the asked me again.

"Nothing happened. A douche threw a line at me trying to bag me." I said dismissively, opening a soda and sipping from it. "Don't worry. I gave him a piece of my mind…" I said with a Cheshire cat grin gracing my lips.

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye, trying to keep his eyes on the road the whole time. And suddenly he burst out laughing. He laughed for a good 5 minutes waking JC in the process. I looked at the back seat where JC was laying quietly in his car seat and saw that he was okay.

I looked back at James who was starting to calm down and gave him a small smile. "God help the _sonofabitch_ whoever had the misfortune of approaching like this. God knows that I'm not worried about you while you are in this state of mind since I know that you can talk down a whole army right now…" he said chucking lightly.

"Yeah, well… you should have seen the look on his face" I said with a grin, remembering the look on Adonis's face upon finishing my '_declaration'_.

James smiled taking a quick look at me and sighed, "Listen, Bells. I'm so sorry that I wasn't much of a help those last few hours. Knowing that I wasn't much of a help to you through this whole ride is really making me feel like crap…" he said sadly.

"James, don't worry about it. Really, I'm just glad that we are almost there. I just want to get there safely. And I'll tell you what… do you want me to forgive you for not being much of a help and getting sick?" I asked him, knowing that I was making a cheap shot. And since he knew me too well, he knew something was coming.

"It depends on what you are asking of me…" he eyed me warily. _Well, here goes nothing…_

"Once we reach Seattle, I want to take over." I threw his way, knowing that I'd be confusing him.

"_Take Over?_ What do you mean by _'Take Over'_ exactly?" he asked still bracing himself.

"Well… I thought, since you would need a ride to the airport and all. I thought that I'd drop you off there and I'd continue on my way from there. This way I won't have to worry about yo-" as I expected he cut me off.

"NO! No way in hell am I gonna leave you. Not after my sickness… you are almost dead on your feet. Nope! Not gonna happen… uh-uh. Not happening, sweets." When he was done. I looked at him, taking another cheap shot.

"You know… you being with me will allow Charlie to _assume_ that you are the _father_ of my child. You know… you both having the same blue eyes and all…" I trailed off, knowing that I hit just the right spot.

His face went contemplative and I left him with thoughts of the Chief of Police, chasing him off with a shot gun, running through his head. I smiled tentatively while looking out of the side window. I heard him sigh and I knew I hit the Jackpot. That sigh had given me that piece of information I needed even before he opened his mouth.

"But, Bells. You are tired. You haven't had a good night sleep in sometime, you know…" he sounded unsure, so I stopped him raising my hand. "You didn't let me finish. I was going to tell you that I'd sleep for a few hours now, till we reach the motel. And I'll try to get as much sleep as I can this night. Also, I'll let you take the morning drive shift, since you can get a good sleep on the plane and I'll complete my journey from there. See, everything is going to work out…" I said confidently. "This way, there will be no 'chasing the boyfriend who had got me in trouble' from Charlie and I'd have more guts facing him alone. Without having to worry about you dodging bullets for something you had nothing to do with." I finished with a wink.

"Fine." And that was all it took for us to finish the conversation. Everything went according to plan. I dropped James off at the airport and butterflies took residence in my stomach for the rest of my ride home. Driving through the familiar streets of Forks, my heart beat was gaining speed as I neared the house. I parked in front of the familiar house and cut the engine.

I stared at the house from my seat for about five minutes trying to muster enough courage to face Charlie. I took a deep breath and got out of the car, going around getting JC from his seat. I carried him in my arms and headed to the front door. "Here goes nothing…" I muttered under my breath, knocking on the door and taking a step back waiting for Charlie.

The door flew open and the familiar face and form of Charlie Swan filled my vision. He hadn't changed one bit. Same old Charlie… I looked up at him and couldn't help the smile that came to my lips. I know that the situation that had reunited us again was a bit _unconventional, _to say the least, but that didn't change the fact that he was my father and that I had missed him.

He gave me a tentative smile back and my smile grew wider, "Hi, dad… I missed you…" with that, I held JC tighter to my chest and flew into Charlie's arms. He opened his arms for me and wrapped me in a sweet embrace. Tears started leaking down my face. Seeing Charlie in front of me had reminded me of my mom and the loss I had suffered of late. Charlie pulled me into the house and sat me down, all the while still holding me to his chest and rubbing my back while I sobbed.

"I'm… so _sorry_, dad. Uh… I did…n't want to start our reunion with tear…tears. It's just…" I was stuttering out the words and sobbing. He hushed me gently. "Bella, honey. Look at me…" he said grimly but gently, waiting for me to cool down. I looked at him expectantly bracing myself for what was about to come my way.

"You went through a lot those past few weeks…" he looked at JC in my arms and amended "you went through a lot these past few _months_ and I know things are difficult right now, but I won't leave you… I love you, Bells… you are my only daughter and I love you more than life itself. I know that I was a bit harsh on you and your mother, but I only had your wellbeing in my mind. I never wanted you to end up in the situation you're in right now… I mean, you are a smart kid, Bella. I always knew you had a good potential of getting a good education and ending up with a good career. The way I would have brought you up, would never have gotten you into this problem…" he continued pointing at JC, seeing that I wanted to protest for calling JC a problem he continued "… and it's not his problem, either. I'd never blame it on him. Hell, I can't even blame it on you… your _mom_ and _step-dad_ shouldn't have allowed you to mingle with boys like that… what the hell were they thinking?! I mean those two were educators and were around teenage boys all the time. I'm sure that they could have protected you better…" he said putting an end for the conversation.

And I _got_ it. I knew how Charlie was thinking… he wasn't blaming me at all. He was putting all the blame on mom and dad. He should know better. Deciding on rectifying his way of thinking in a later stage, I tried to calm myself to introduce JC to him. That's when he opened his mouth again.

"I was going to suggest that you put _umm… the baby_ for adoption, but from the look on your face, I can see that it's gonna be a non-debatable point to argue about…" He said quietly and I nodded furiously. Not wanting him to get any second thought about it.

"JC and I are both one deal, it's either the two of us or neither one of us… so, what do you say, Char-… dad?" I asked him while hiccupping a little.

He looked me in the eye, "both my daughter _and grandson_ are welcome in my home. Even though this wasn't the way I wanted my grandson to be presented to me. I have one now and I'm gonna enjoy having you both here." He said smiling at me and I returned his smile.

"But mark my words, Isabella. If you start slacking and or start going the wrong way, so help me God…" he trailed off gravely.

I gulped audibly and nodded at him; indicating my understanding. And he smiled again wider this time. "Well, now. Aren't you going to introduce me to my grandson?" he asked timidly.

The rest of the day passed quickly with unpacking and taking care of JC, all the while Charlie talking my head off about work and his fishing trips. Around two pm, the neighbour, _Esme Cullen_, passed by to invite Charlie and me to dinner at their house. Apparently, Charlie did his homework and filled her in on the situation, so there was no awkward moment. I took a liking to her immediately. She was a really sweet and _attractive _lady, if I may say. She reminded me of my mom.

I accepted the invitation and decided to head a bit early to help her. At five-thirty… Charlie, JC and I headed to the _Cullens_ house. I spotted a very nice looking Volvo parked in front of their house and wondered if it was her husband's. But then I looked around and spotted another 4 really nice and expensive cars parked beside the Volvo. And I got a bit uneasy. I didn't want to be the centre of attention, which I was sure to be with that much audience and being the 'new comer with the situation', if I might add.

I looked at Charlie and voiced my unease to him and he assured me that those are only their kids' cars. And there were no strangers. I nodded and continued my way to the house. We were welcomed in by the hostess herself, later joined by a very handsome man, later introduced as her husband. I handed JC to Charlie and went to help Esme preparing for dinner. We had been talking and working. I learned about her and her husband's work. What kids she has and how old they were…

I took the Chicken to place it on the dinner table and headed out of the kitchen, "It's alright, Esme… I'll get the chicken to the table, you finish up what you-" I stopped talking mid-sentence. I'm sure Shock registered on my face when the last person I had expected to see, _ever_, was standing in my face staring at me incredulously.

He composed himself quickly and a wicked grin graced his lips, "Well, well, well… if it isn't the _Righteous Spiteful Bitch…_" I smiled devilishly at him, hearing the gasp coming from Esme behind me.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't_ my shiny Penny-head"_ I said softly. His smile grew wider and he winked at me.

_Oh, honey. If that's your game… game on…_

**End Chapter Four**

**AN: Please don't hate me… I know most of you were thinking that this chapter would be about the dinner… but I couldn't do that without telling you what happened with Bella, James, JC and of course Charlie… so, what do you think my sweet readers… I'd love some feedback ;) R&R, please… **


	6. Chapter 5

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Canon-parings.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: Thank you to everyone who reviewed ******** all thanks to…**

**ericastwilight, robsmom, Leeshaann, midsummerstars, Kerry Hale, StupidityComesWithAHighIQ, karenkaraoke, Iceangel92003, kimbo06, sweetkyo, Linds14, Bananna18, BellaCullenPR, lisamichelle17, massrie, PLV, Jasper winked, sheri1205, christine30974, NATwilight, BlueLilyInDarkness, beate73, alwayswatchingtv, XoXoEarthbound AngelXoXo, MeetMeInMontauk, Rayne, Cydryna Marie, twloha14, Drama4Twilight, nermalasu (for both chapters), kuntrygal, faerie kitten, isa90, Hope4more, ChrissyBellaDiva, Mandav, rockstgrl69, twilightfan303, PyroWhore and one anonymous review **(I'm sorry about the italics but I need them to emphasize on certain emotions and / or thoughts)

**You are all AMAZING!**

**Also, there is an amazing lady who had actually chose me to be her beta… this is a shout out for you to go check my dear friend's (kuntrygal) amazing story 'Taboo' and leave her some lovin' ;) btw, she was my betaing for this chapter :D**

**Warning! This chapter has inappropriate language and almost lemon (towards the end), so consider this as a fair warning.**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Five**

**EPOV**

"Well, well, well… if it isn't_ my shiny Penny-head"_ she said with a mischievous grin.

At that point, seeing her in front of me was like seeing a ghost. What the hell was she doing helping Esme in the kitchen? What the hell was she doing in my house, period?!

And I couldn't believe the words that came out of her mouth. Did she just call me 'my shiny Penny-head'… '_her'_ shiny Penny-head… really? I had been called so many names, both endearing and insulting ones… but never had I been called that before. And the way she had said it, her tone had definitely held a tone of longing. As if she was actually happy to see me here. Or maybe that was my imagination.

_I smirked cocking an eyebrow at her._

"Edward! How could you say that to our guest? What's got into you? I'm so sorry, Bella… I am sure my _son_ is still dazed from his sleep or something. I raised him well enough for him to know how to treat a lady…" my mother fumed at me while trying to apologize to _my_ _Bella_.

Damn it! I forgot that mom was there. I took a glance towards Bella and then again towards my mother who had an expectant look on her face, along with the glare, of course. Apparently, expecting me to apologize for my words, _strange… what is it with people expecting me to apologize?_

And then a look of realization downed on my mother's face, as if she had just realized something. "Have you two met each other before?" She shifted her gaze between us.

"Only from afar" I said quickly.

"Yes" Bella stated firmly. My mom looked at her waiting for her to continue. "We have met at a gas station on my way to Forks. We were about to enter Seattle and we had stopped at a convenience store. I was grabbing some snacks when _Edward_ here bumped into me almost knocking me off my feet, stood there waiting for me to apologize."

_Well, actually my intention was to bag you for the night, but since my mom is still glaring daggers at me; that would be fine._

"Oh my God, Edward! Did you really do that to Bella? That's not how I raised you, young man. Wait till your dad hears about this. There will be severe consequences… mark my words." Mom went back into whatever she was doing and left me with Bella who was still holding the chicken.

_What the hell just happened here?_

I looked at the cause of this mayhem and narrowed my eyes at her. She was still facing mom, but I could see that she was giving me side way glances, as if scared to look me in the eye fearing my reaction.

"Um… let me go put the chicken on the table before it gets cold, we don't want to…" she mumbled to herself trailing off while making her way to the dining room. I looked back to mom and saw that she was working on the sauce and glowering at me at the same time.

"I can't believe you said and did that to her, Edward. I raised you far better than that. She's a sweet girl and I know once you get to know her, you will find a good friend in her. I know that she's got herself into such a sad situation, which is a bit surprising seeing how smart she is. But still, that doesn't give you the right to talk down to anybody. And you were definitely taught how to talk and act around the ladies, weren't you? We have raised you to act like a gentlemen." She stated sharply. I noticed that she looked confused a bit when she mentioned my Bella's 'situation' and I couldn't have agreed more to that. That girl really was smart and she didn't take any of my bull… unlike any other girl I have met. This one had definitely put me in my place.

"What would you do if you saw someone doing the same thing you did to her?" she indignantly. Well, let's see. I think a fist to the right eye would be a good start, a hook-punch to the jaw and… yeah, I'd be cutting off his balls and hang them as a trophy around my Bella's neck for the next victim to see what his future beholds should he try missing with my Bella. Not that she needs any help with that tongue of hers, mind you.

"I'm sorry, mom. I know you are disappointed in me. But in my defense, at the time I actually said that to her, she wasn't holding a baby and she looked like a normal teenage girl; at least as normal as can be in her situation. And I just wanted to get to know her. You know how teenage boys would act." I said trying to coax her forgiveness and hoping that she would forget about the 'punishment' issue in hands.

"Do you mean to tell me that you actually treat ladies this way all the time? And that they actually let you? Oh my God! Edward! What has become of you?" she all but yelled at me. I can't believe that I was actually this stupid to open my mouth. _Think, damn it… damage control._

"No, mom. I don't act like that. You raised me better than this. What I meant was that she looked alone and I wanted to see if I can actually get to know her. I mean you said it yourself, she's far smarter than other girls her age, right?" I said seriously trying to get her to see the gentlemen she raised in me. _And it worked, apparently._

She signed tiredly "Okay, Edward. I'll let it slide this time… but that doesn't mean that there will be no punishment. No son of mine uses those words and _in front of me_ without expecting his punishment. So, brace yourself, son." She told me quietly with a bit of severity to her tone.

Just then, miss 'tattle tale' showed up in the kitchen while mom made her way with the sauce to the dining room. She looked at me biting her lower lip so hard, almost drawing blood. God, is it possible that you'd want to hit a person so hard and kiss them away like there is no tomorrow. Because, this is how I'm feeling now. UGH!

"Happy now, snitch? I can't believe you just told on me to my mother. What are you… like five?! You are supposed to be a grown up person! I mean you are already not the most _righteous _person walking this earth and the little 'situation' you're in confirms that" I whispered in a harsh tone in front of her face.

"You just be glad that I didn't tell her you were trying to bag me, you lame ass. And you don't know anything about my 'situation'. The likes of you have no right to judge me." she said angrily her face flushed.

"Oh, yeah?" I said with a smug smile. I gave her a once over, taking in her appearance. She was wearing a simple royal blue blouse that showed a modest amount of the swelling of her breasts with a hem barely touching the waist of her tight jeans. And her hair was left down in loose curls reaching the end her back.

To say that she looked beautiful was really inadequate. The color did wonders to her skin tone and that flush that covered her face, down to her neck and chest almost reaching…_ hmm I wonder if it reaches some of the parts that I'd really wanna see._

"Yeah, big mouth. If it wasn't for your forked-tongue, none of this would have happened. So, you can't blame me for what you did to yourself. I didn't do anything wrong. You were the one who had initiated every sorry conversation with me which led you to where you are now. If you had attempted to even use that pretty head of yours, maybe you wouldn't be facing your 'punishment' like the five year old _you are._"

Just as I opened my mouth to respond with a snide remark, my mother interrupted us coming into the kitchen, stopping just beside me with a suspicious look on her face. She shifted her eyes between me and my snitchy bitch.

"Is everything okay here?" she mostly directed her question to the girl while keeping a doubtful eye on me.

"Yes, Esme. Everything is fine. I was just coming for the pasta dish. I'll get it now…" she finished her sentence heading to the counter, grabbing a big dish of mouth-watering looking pasta and heading out of the kitchen.

"Edward, let's go to dinner. And please, try to behave. I don't think you'd want to put yourself under more scrutinizing from the Chief than what you already are in." she said grabbing another dish and headed out.

Shit! I didn't think about the Chief and father of lady chaos. I'm sure that what happened to the goddess of anarchy must have been a big hit to papa-chief's pride. I wonder how he's handling it.

Just as I walked into the family room, I got my answer. Our Chief in shining armor was kneeling if front of the baby, who was sitting in a low chair, making silly faces trying to make him laugh. And it wasn't only the chief, my dad and dear brother bear were doing just the same… Can you imagine three fully grown men trying to make what looked like a month-year old baby laugh? It took all my willpower not to burst out laughing on the spot.

"Dinner is ready!" mom called from the dining room and the guys started making their way, while lady chaos headed towards her baby. I took a few steps towards her, observing her actions. She set a bottle on a coffee-table near her and picked up her baby who was starting to whimper. She sat holding him in her lap with his head leaning on her chest and once his mouth made contact the swell of her breast he opened his mouth trying to suckle. He was hungry. And damn if I could avert my eyes away. _Hey, boy! You are marking an already claimed territory here… shoo shoo!_

That kid just wouldn't desist! I pinched the bridge of my nose waiting for her to give him his bottle. "Oh, JC honey. I'm sorry I didn't give you the bottle earlier. Here you go, baby. Just like that." She cooed trying to unravel him from her chest and once she gave him the bottle he started suckling away. She held him with one arm close to her chest while holding the bottle with her other hand. Just then the baby's hand reached and grabbed the first thing his hand touched… her mounds… _my mounds_… _down, boy._

And I just stood there like an idiot gaping at the scene in front of me; I had seen fair amount of baby-mother bonding, especially with dad being a doctor. But never had I ever seen such intense exchange of emotions between a mother and her baby before. The way she caressed his face with her hand after she leaned the bottle on her body, touching his forehead with her soft lip tenderly. The way he tapped her chest with his small hand… _and when the hell had I turned into a bad case of hormonal pussy all of a sudden._

I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts. "So, Big-mouth… Trying to get your revenge for what I had done to you? Come here and meet my man…" she said in a light voice, rubbing the baby's back trying to burp him. Nearing her I heard him burping. I smiled and sat down beside her. She laid him in her lap with his back to her chest, so he was facing me.

"Careful, sugar-tits. Pay back's a bitch. And that little stunt won't go unnoticed by me…" she slapped my arm and snorted at me. "Language!" she sneered at me. "I only mouthed the words, but your son was totally thinking it, didn't you see him trying to ravish your delicious-looking sweet-puffs, not that I actually know that they are sweet, I'd need to get a taste to-" she cut me off "he was hungry pinhead! Haven't ever seen a baby feed before?" she huffed at me rolling her eyes; I smiled at her and shifted my gaze to the baby who was now trying to focus his sight on me.

"Hey, little man. How are you doing? Did you see how your momma treated me? Can you believe what she had done to me?" I cooed at him while pouting and giving him my puppy eyes causing the angel holding him to chuckle. I looked up at her and saw her watching me with a tender gleam in her eyes. I smiled at her and she blushed with the most beautiful shade of pink.

"Can I hold him for a second?" I asked her carefully. She eyed me skeptically and nodded lightly. I reached and held him up so he was facing me without putting his weight on his legs. "So, little man. Wanna know what she did? She actually told my mother on me, can you believe that? Yeah… and you know what happened… I'm gonna get punished for just admiring her beauty… so, son… here is a piece of advice to you… never trust a beautiful woman, because she's gonna get you into trouble without you realizing it" I talked to him with a serious face, all the while he was smiling and cooing at me while reaching with his hand to touch my face.

"Awe! How did you do that, man?! I've been doing crazy stuff with my face in front of him trying to get him to smile and now you're talking to him and he's all over you. _Not fair!_" big-baby Emmett came into the sitting room behind me while pouting like a child and crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Yeah, how did you do that? I was trying to get him to smile all day long and he didn't even stop crying at seeing me till this last hour…" Chief Swan eyed me reproachfully following in after Emmett.

I handed the baby to his mother with a smile shaking my head at the childish act of my brother and her father; rolling our eyes at them together. "Well, dad. He's a child, I'm sure he's gonna warm up to you eventually…" she said to her dad while placing the baby in his chair and covering him with his blanket.

"Um… guys, dinner is getting cold? Aren't you coming?" my mom called poking her head inside the room. "We'll be right there, Mrs. Cullen." The Chief said making his way again to the dining room. "Are you coming, guys?" Emmett asked us making his way to the dining room behind Chief.

I chanced a look at her, she was wiping some drool off the baby's chin and once she was done she stood up beside me. "Ready, momma?" I asked her playfully. "Ready, big baby." She said smiling at me.

I smiled, grabbing her hand I made my way to the dining room. Everyone was sat down already starting to dig in. Mom and dad took the heads of the table, the Chief, my brother and sister sat on one side of the table, leaving the other side fully empty for me and the young mother.

I pulled out the chair that was facing my sister and was nearest to my mother's for her to sit in. She looked at me shocked, while my mother looked at me proudly. _Hmm… I'm gaining cookie points for this. Let's see what she'll do when I unleash my full charm on her._

When she settled in her seat, I pulled the chair nearest to her and sat down. "Would you like something to drink?" I asked her with a small smile. She looked at me like I had grown three heads "Um… yes… a coke, please, thank you" she stammered.

I reached for one of the cans beside me, opened it and handed it to her. She took it with a soft 'thank you' and poured it into her glass. I grabbed the salad dish, "Would you like some salad?" I asked her and she nodded. I served it into her plate and put it back in place. By the time I was done placing the dish back, the table was all quiet and all of them were staring at us some with amusement and some with shock. Bella looked like a tomato as she blushed furiously. "What?! I was taking care of our guest…" I said pouring myself some coke and reaching for the salad dish to put some in my plate.

They eyed us for a few more seconds before going back to their conversations. I quickly ate my salad, eyeing the pasta dish that everybody was praising. I finished my salad and looked at the little bird beside me who was picking at her salad. I nudged her with my elbow and she looked at me. I swallowed "would you like me to get you some pasta, I'm sure it's much better than the salad…" I said trailing off pointing at the pasta. She eyed me for a second as if contemplating on telling me something, smiling she nodded at me. I ladled a small serving into her plate, while putting a big serving into my plate.

I sniffed it closing my eyes taking in the heavenly scent, taking a mouthful after that. I almost passed out from the taste. I have tasted mom's food all my life, never had she done something like this before. "Mom! Oh my God. This is delicious! Where did you get the recipe from?" talking while chewing big mouthfuls, I know I looked like a cow! "Honey, you need to chew and you need to swallow before you speak! And you can thank that sweet girl next to you. She made that in less than 30 minutes." Mom said with a smirk. _Huh?_

I stopped chewing and looked at the giggling girl beside me, "wew, at weast you'w goo' a' someting oder dan being bib ho' moud, hmm?" I hoped that she got that I'm trying to say _'well, at least you're good at something other than being a big hot mouth, hmm?'_ and form the look on her face, I guess she got it. Her face flushed with anger and suddenly her anger turned into an evil grin.

She approached me while I was chewing that big bite, "Well, big boy. If you weren't occupied, I would have showed you what my 'big mouth' could be doing to you…" I choked on the bite, coughing violently while trying to gasp for breath. Satan beside me patted my back trying to soothe my coughing. "Are you okay, Edward? Would you like some water?" she asked me softly with that evil grin still gracing her delicious lips. She parted her lips and liked her bottom lip in a seductive way. _Damn! Now she got me picturing those lips pleasuring me sucking me off… You'd think with the Chief, the sin's father, a few feet away from you would help with the situation, but no… I got this huge 'problem' on me and Pandora here hasn't even unlocked her box, yet! Shit!_

Once I got my breathing under control, I gave her a stare down trying to warn her of a payback. And 'the cause of my nearing death' just batted her eyelashes at me, giving me a sweet smile. _Minx!_ I smiled at her softly, going back to devouring my plate. Once I made sure that everyone was minding their own business, I grabbed my drink with my left hand, sipping slowly from my drink, while tracing my right hand up her thigh reaching her heated core. She squirmed in her seat minutely trying to get my hand to avert its touch, but I wouldn't budge. I rubbed her slowly for a few seconds noticing her labored breathing; and stopped just as abruptly as I started. A barely audible whimper escaped her lips and I chuckled quietly getting back to my food.

"Bella dear, are you okay? You look a bit flushed…" mom asked her in a concerned voice. "Uh… yes, Esme. I'm fine, thank you. Um… It's just it's been a few days since I uh… had a proper meal, as I was in a long trip. This seems like a feast for me…" _good save. _And they quickly got back to their topic; shopping, complimentary of my sweet sister Alice. Apparently, she thinks that a baby can never get enough clothing and she was planning a shopping spree for the new mommy and her baby. _Figures…_

I was well-absorbed with my food when I felt a small hand trailing up my thigh and getting close to my 'big' situation. My breathing started to hitch. I tried to concentrate on chewing the food so I don't choke again, causing my definite death this time. _What the fuck is she doing?_ I chanced a look at her and she was talking animatedly with my mother and sister, while her dad was talking excitedly about the latest baseball game he caught on TV to my brother and dad. _Shit! She's got me all to herself. I'm a fucking dead guy._

I concentrated more on chewing trying to will my 'unleashed condition' back to its restraint. While _itsy-bitsy spider_ here _climbed up my junk._ She started feeling me softly through the fabric of my jeans, figuring exactly where everything was positioned, she started stroking me a bit more firmly. And she didn't even break a sweat. _I swear she was trying to kill me._ I tried to control my breathing more, making sure that no one was watching. She stopped abruptly, leaving me breathing heavily with a flushed face.

"Edward, are you okay, honey?" mom asked me in a concerned voice. "It's okay, Esme. Maybe it's the dressing and herbs that I'd added to the pasta. Sometimes they are just _too strong_ to _handle_." She patted my back as if trying to help me to get rid of my cough. I gave her a grave look with a small smile, "It's okay, Bella. I got it. I _can handle_ anything you _can give me_…" I looked at her willing her to understand the double meaning, which by the look on her face, I'm sure she got.

She gulped audibly looking away from me, "Um… dad, it's getting late and I'd like to turn in early. It's been a long trip and I'd like to rest." She looked pleadingly at her father. "Yes, sure honey." The Chief got up from his seat heading to the bathroom to wash his hands.

Pandora, here, got up and started helping my mother getting all the dirty dishes into the kitchen quickly before going to the sitting room, where her baby was sleeping soundly. I approached her giving her a severe stare causing her to tremble. "Are you crazy? Were you even thinking? Can you imagine what you could have caused-" I whispered harshly at her but she cut me off, "I caused you what you have asked for, horny head! You started this and I finished it." She whispered with harsher tone than mine, her face flushed with anger.

"Oh, you've got it on now, babe. You have no idea what you've just got yourself into…" I trailed off making my way to my room, closing the door behind me and heading towards my bathroom.

_Oh, you've got it on, alright…_

**End Chapter Five**

**AN: What do you think my sweet readers… I'd love some feedback ;) and don't forget to check my friend's story, Taboo by Kuntrygal… R&R, please… **


	7. Chapter 6

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Canon-parings.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: You guys… the response I got from that last chapter was beyond expectations lol, I mean I passed the mark of 200 reviews! Thank you to everyone who reviewed …**

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**Also, I just want to make sure that you are reading the stories of my dearest friend (kuntrygal), check out her amazing story 'Taboo' and leave her some lovin' ;) she just posted a new outtake from her amazing story 'People Change', you just have to check it out!**

**Faffi (xfarahx), you are so sweet… thanks for helping me out in this chapter.**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Six**

**BPOV**

Oh my God!

I can't believe I just felt up a man… at a dinner table… in front of his whole family and the Chief of Police… and with my baby in the next room _napping…_

I'm not sure things can get sicker than that… Oh my God!

_Is this normal?_ No, Damn it! That's not normal! You are supposed to be raising a kid! You are supposed to be a mommy! Is this how mommies act? _No!_

But that damn Adonis was totally asking for it… he almost got me to orgasm in front of the whole lot! That handsome jerk knew what notes to play… _and he played them well._

And to think I'll have to go to school with this kid, _heck…_ I don't think my brains will have the energy to banter more than I'd already had…

But let's trace back what led me to this stupid situation… okay, think…

_First, _it was the store, I mean he was trying to bag me and he was totally asking for it… _good, good…_

_Second,_ it was the moment I met him at his parents' house and he actually called me _Righteous Spiteful Bitch! _And in front of his mother, nonetheless! Definitely asking for it!

_Third _and last it was that stunt under the table! I can't believe that a stranger whom I had known for less than an hour had felt me up under the table!

_Members of the jury, all in favour of convicting a one Edward Cullen of being the insufferable devil of Adonis say Aye… All Jury members: AYE!_

_Thank you!_

A long sigh left my lungs. Still I think I might want to apologize to ease the guilt I was feeling for what I had done to him… yep, that's what I'm going to do. I had no right and it wasn't my place to stoop to his level. I just came back home an hour ago and I was already beating myself up over that shit I did! I sighed again, holding JC who was wrapped up in his towel to my chest after giving him his bath, heading for my bedroom to dress him.

Once I was done, I put him in his crib and went down stairs to bring his bottle for his last meal before putting him to bed. Entering the kitchen, I noticed that Charlie was standing there staring blankly out the window. "Hey, dad. Is everything okay?" I asked him grabbing a drink of water and sipping on some of it.

"What's going on with that Cullen boy, Bella?" he asked calmly as I chocked so hard on the water, coughing the life out of me. _Shit!_ Oh dear God, please God, tell me he hadn't notice anything, I'll be good, I'll never do anything bad again, pleasegodpleasegodpleasegod…

"Uh… what do you mean, dad? What is there to be? I just met all of them?" I asked him trying to guess how much he knows or doesn't know. "I mean that boy was all being sweet and charming his way with the baby and all… I don't like that at all Bella. Of all the Cullen kids, that boy is trouble. I want you to stay away from him. I swear if I hadn't known his parents, I could have sworn that he was adopted. But, the resemblance between him and his mother is remarkable. But that's about it. All the reputation that he had gathered here is grotesque. Not to mention that I had caught him speeding and he has some tickets to pay… so, basically I want you to stay clear of him" he said calmly not breaking a sweat.

I almost sighed loudly. Thank God he hadn't seen what had happened between Satan's spawn and myself. And I'm sure that all what he was saying was true, but it ticked me off that he was telling me what to do, like I can't judge or think for myself. _Which was true in that case, but still…_

"Don't worry, dad. Nothing is happening with him. He was trying to be nice to me, because his mom _told _him to act nice. Nothing more" I replied warily. "Plus, why would he be interested in me. I mean… I'm a mother and way out of his league. I have brains, which is something I'm sure he'd never dealt with before. And I can take care of myself and JC. You know you don't have to worry about me, right dad?" I said, trying to coax him out of the thought that he needs to be concerned about me in that sense.

He shifted his gaze towards me, seeing that I had a serious look on my face. He nodded mutely and sighed. "Okay, Bells. I just worry about you, you know that. I mean you already have so many things to worry about. No need to add to those right now. You are a smart kid, even though you had ended with that small cute 'accident' of yours." He finished with a sad smile on his face. "Speaking of small and cute, where is my grandson?" he asked with a bright smile, trying to reduce the tension from that last remark of his.

"I'm here to bring him his bottle. I just gave him a bath and once he's done with this he'll be ready for bed." I said bringing the bottle that I had prepared before from the bottle warmer and testing the temperature of the milk on my skin to make sure it wasn't hot enough for the baby. Satisfied, I looked up to see that Charlie was staring at me with a tender expression on his face. "You remind me of your mother, Bella. She used to have that same loving expression in her eyes when working on anything that's related to you when you were a baby, she loved you so much…

"Look, Bells, I know I was harsh on you when you got here and I know that you didn't plan this. I can't say that I don't wish that the order of things was a little different. But, Bella, _know_ this… I'll never be anything but proud of having you for a daughter, you know that, right? And having JC here is a real thrill to my miserable life. I honestly can say that these few hours I've had you here, were really great." He said with a genuine smile.

I stared at him for a minute with my eyes brimming with tears then approached him and wrapped my arms around him tightly. "Thank you, dad. I really needed to hear that. Thank you" I whispered to him looking up at him, he smiled sadly at me and I could see that his eyes were welling with unshed tears too. "Now, let's go see my grandson. Did you see how he was smiling at me? He actually held my finger…" he was saying with a goofy smile on his face like a boy who had just gotten his new toy.

I smiled and went with him to give JC his bottle. _Huh… that was unexpected; I just hope that things keep going on that well… or at least not get worse._

The next couple of days went in a haze of unpacking and making lists of what's needed for JC and myself. Alice, or the _pixie_, as I'd found myself calling her, had offered to take me to the mall in Port Angeles to do the major shopping there.

I hadn't seen Satan's twin since that disastrous dinner. And I had known from Esme that they had taken the car privileges from him for a month for that small tirade he had with me and apparently when she told his dad about that small incident in that convenience store, it didn't help much. So, basically he was ride-less because of me now and I was already dreading meeting him again.

I had agreed with Alice to be prepared at 8 in the morning, a week before school, for our shopping trip. I got up at six, checking on JC and making sure he was still asleep after one hellish night of constant crying and whimpering from his bad cramps, I made my way to the bathroom for my morning rituals. After I was done with my business, I got into a real quick shower. Getting out of the shower and wrapping myself in a towel, I stood by the sink to brush my teeth. I looked at my reflection and groaned loudly. I had more dark circles under my eyes and my skin was even paler than before which I couldn't believe was possible, until I saw my damn reflection.

"Shit!" I got a bit closer to the mirror to trace the shadows under my eyes with my fingers and sighed. Oh well, what did I expect? I'm taking care of a baby… And I knew it was no picnic.

I made my way into my room and put on a pair of faded jeans and a simple black shirt. Pulling up my hair in a sloppy ponytail, making sure that JC was still asleep, I got down stairs to the kitchen to prepare a quick breakfast for Charlie and myself. Grabbing some eggs and milk, I decided to make some French toast. As I started preparing the breakfast, I heard some ruffling upstairs and hurried a bit, knowing that Charlie will be down any minute now.

"Morning, Bells. Mmmm… smells good in here, what's cookin'?" he gave me a small kiss on the cheek and sat down as I was putting some in his plate.

"French toast. I remember you used to like it?" I asked him as I plated some for me and before I sat down I heard him humming happily as he started inhaling his breakfast. _Honestly, it's like he's tasting food for the first time in his life…_

I sat down and quickly ate my breakfast. Charlie was done with his breakfast in record time, _maybe next time I'll time him and see if he breaks his own record,_ and was out of the door after putting his plate in the dishwasher and with a quick 'thanks'.

After I was done, I put my dish in the dishwasher and prepared all the bottles for JC for our day out and prepared his bag. I grabbed one of the bottles and made my way upstairs to give him his breakfast.

By the time I had given JC his breakfast and gave him his bath it was already time for Alice to come for us to start our journey. Just as I was thinking that it was time, I heard the doorbell ring. I held JC's bag and placed it near the door. I started to unlock the door smiling, "You are a little early Ali-" I cut myself off as I was met with a cold pair of green eyes staring down at me.

The green-eyed incubus was actually standing at my door with the look that conveys the 'if looks could kill' message and a stiff posture that would make you think that he would snap if someone tried to push him. He was wearing dark jeans with a black button-down shirt that had emphasized the colour of his hair and pale skin. _I swear he was trying to avenge what I had done to him… if his gaze didn't kill me, the way he looked would sure do the trick, damn!_

"Are you ready?" he asked me in a grave low tone. _Wait… what?_

"Umm… yeah. Uh, why are you here? Where is Alice? She's supposed to come with me to the mall?" I said in a small voice taking a step back with the look of horror, I'm sure, on my face.

Once he saw my reaction, he relaxed his posture a bit and eyed me for a few seconds taking in my less-than-stellar appearance. I'm sure he had noticed that I looked like hell and he was taking pity on me.

"She's on her way. She just asked me to come and check if you needed any help setting up your things in the car. Since you'll be holding the baby, she… I mean _we_ thought I could help you put the stuff in the car, just to save time."

He narrowed his eyes as he focused his glance on the circles under my eyes. I didn't change my stance as I was still a bit scared of how he was looking at me. I blinked a few times trying to get words to form and failing miserably.

He closed his eyes and shook his head as if trying to clear his head. He shifted his gaze towards his house for a moment, as if he was looking for something and looked back at me.

"Look. I don't even want to know what you are thinking with all that fear in your eyes. God knows, if I was a vampire you wouldn't be this scared…" he said quickly with serious eyes and then sighed running his fingers through his unruly hair.

He took a deep breath and looked at me again, "Listen. I know I acted like a total jerk to you and I admit it was intentional. I liked how you looked and I wasn't thinking strait. But still, that didn't give you the right to rat me out. Hell! You have been around the block as anyone can see; so why couldn't you just take it and shut up about it… I mean you already said what you wanted to say at the store. You could have left it at that. But no, you had to come here and ruin my life. Because of you, _Miss_ _Virtue_, I lost my car privileges for a month, had to sit through the whole 'parent talk' and now I have to be your slave for the day in order to gain some points that would get me back my car. _Happy now?" _he said with venom almost dripping with every word, he was coming closer to me till our faces were almost touching.

I started at him shell-shocked. He's saying this is my fault. "Seriously? No, I mean… _seriously?_ You are actually blaming your situation on me? How? I mean… Are you crazy? I didn't ask for any of this! I didn't even want to meet you again. Do you think with the way you treated me at the store that I would want to speak to you again, let alone know you? No, _Pinhead_. I know my mistakes and believe me, knowing people like you wasn't one of them.

"But on the other hand, _**you don't know anything**_! Not about me, not about what got me into this situation. And you know what… I don't think your little brain can even begin to comprehend the tiniest bit of what I'm going through. So, guess what you _jerk._ I don't care what you think of me. And, if I was feeling guilty before for getting you into trouble, now it all disappeared. I can't believe that I was actually considering apologizing to you for what I had done…" I trailed off shaking my head at him, heading back into the house and wiping my traitorous tears with the back of my hand.

Oh God, I'm so tired… so drained, both emotionally and physically. I wish James was here. I made my way to the bathroom not bothering to even look at the door where I left him. Listening for any sounds that JC might be making, I closed the door behind me.

I took a few deep breaths willing my tears to stop spilling. When I was calm enough, I sprayed my face with cold water then dampened a small towel with the cold water and pressed gently to my eyes to ease the redness and puffiness.

I stayed there for almost fifteen minutes until everything was almost gone, I got out and rather heard the pixie before I saw her.

"Bella! There you are! Are you ready? Is everything set?" she trailed off once she took in my appearance. "Yes, pixie. All set. I was just freshening up; I had a really rough night. JC didn't stop crying at all because of his cramps. And I got up really early so that I can get everything ready for our shopping trip" I smiled at her sweetly trying not to make direct eye contact.

"Bella… are you okay? What happened?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"Of course, pixie. Haven't you ever seen a person taking care of a baby? Well, this is your heads up warning for what you're up for once you have a baby one day" I laughed getting in a lighter mood this time looking her square in the eye, feeling a bit in an uplifted mood. I'm not going to make what happened earlier ruin my day. I mean he didn't say anything wrong. _Well, not true._ But still I'm not going to let him get to me.

I looked for JC's bag and was told that it was already in the car. I went upstairs to get JC; I locked the house and made my way to the car. I saw that _he who must not be approached_ was standing near my car with the JC's bag and stuff in his hands.

He had a contemplative look on his face while staring intently at me, as if trying to make sense of some dilemma or a riddle. I lowered my gaze and continued to make my way to him.

I saw Alice from the corner of my eye looking between us, so I decided to give him a little smile to show that everything was normal. God, I wish things were different, how can things get so wrong so quickly. I'm sure he was feeling guilty for his small banter at me; I looked at him with a small smile, "Thank you for your help" once my sentence was done, I was blushing furiously.

He looked at me surprised with his mouth open and shook his head as if trying to register what I had said. He cocked his head a bit and gave me a breath-taking smile, which got me gaping in return. "You are most welcome, Bella." He said in a melodic voice. _Oh my God, did he just say my name in that tone._ I stood by him for a few seconds staring at him like an idiot, causing him to chuckle a bit. With that chuckle my breath caught in my throat. I stood there a few more seconds, feeling myself getting a bit dizzy.

"Breathe, Bella." Alice said giggling. Apparently what she saw made her comfortable that everything was normal.

I unlocked the car and asked them to get in while I strapped JC in his car-seat.

"Bella, why don't you get in the back seat and try to get some rest. It's going to be a bit more than an hour before we reach the mall. I'll wake you up once we are there. You look dead on your feet, no offence. And I'm really starting to feel guilty for dragging you up this early." Alice said in a sweet tone and a sad smile.

"It's okay, Alice. Really, I'm fine. And, no offence taken, so don't worry. I told you this was expected when you are taking care of an infant." I said to her smiling and making my way to the driver's seat.

"Well, I should tell you this… I'm not sure how things worked in Phoenix, but they don't allow zombies to drive here in the State of Washington… and I sure am not letting you drive me anywhere in that state of yours" forked-tongue was out full force!

"Edward!" Alice gave him the sharpest gaze her blue eyes could muster. Shit! She even scared me.

"And you think I'd let you drive like a maniac with my child and me in the car? I know about your speeding tickets, Mister," I told him with my hands on my hips looking up at him. He approached me and looked me in the face. He looked like someone who had made up his mind and he held a certain look of sadness mixed with guilt in his eyes.

"Bella, you need to rest…" he said in a clear voice before approaching me some more, whispering…

"Get in the _fucking_ back seat, Bella, and get some sleep. You need to gain some strength back. You look like shit. Fuck! Don't make me feel guiltier than I am already feeling…" he made sure that I alone could hear him. And then he uttered the one word that I'd never thought I would hear come pass those beautiful lips.

"_Please…"_ he actually said that word and his eyes were pleading with me. I couldn't speak from the shock. I looked at Alice who was still staring daggers at Edward and decided to show her that all was well. I smiled a little at her and she relaxed a bit and got in the passenger's seat. I looked up at Edward who was still looking at me worriedly.

Giving him a small smile, I nodded my head. In return he gave me that damn crooked grin of his and sighed. He had a warm gleam in his eyes as he leaned in and whispered, "Thank you, love".

My head whipped around to look at him with wide eyes, not even noticing how close we were. Our noses were almost touching and I could smell his sweet breath fanning my face. Our eyes locked for a good thirty seconds not daring to break our eye contact. His eyes then shifted to my lips and made their way back to my eyes. He came closer to me his lips barely brushing my lower lip. I felt like I was hit by an electric shock. All breath left my lungs and my knees started to buckle. I almost hit the ground if it wasn't for the strong arms that encircled me holding me up.

"Bella, are you okay?" he asked anxiously, while holding me to his chest. "Umm… yeah. I'm fine. Let me just sit…" I said in a low tone as I couldn't find my voice. He smiled brightly at me, shaking his head. He held me to his body with one arm, while opening the back door with his other hand. He helped me get settled and went to sit in the driver's seat.

I saw him adjusting his seat and then the rear-view mirror till our eyes were locked in mirror. He held my gaze for a few seconds and then looked out of the windshield starting the car. I reached for my bag and grabbed my favourite CD handing it to Alice. "Is it okay if you play this CD? Usually it relaxes me and keeps the baby quiet even if he wakes up."

"Sure, Bella. I listen to all kind of stuff. I don't mind one bit." Popping the CD into the stereo and pushing some buttons to start playing the CD. "Um… is it okay with you, Edward? I don't want to make you listen to something you don't like since you are the one who's driving…" I trailed off as Debussy started to play.

He looked at me through the rear-view mirror shocked, the same shock that was on Alice's face. _Hmm… was I missing something?_ "Umm… guys I can change it, you really don't have to listen to it. It's just something that I like…" I said reaching to the CD player from between the front seats. I was almost touching the CD player when a firm grip got a hold of my hand. I traced the hand with my eyes to its owner, _Adonis_.

"Leave it, Bella. I have the same CD…" he said looking at me with a big goofy grin on his face. I looked at Alice who was still staring at me with shock on her face. "Don't' worry, Bella. I know this music… it's kind of uh… familiar" she finished with a goofy grin that matched her brother while looking at him.

_I, sure as hell, am missing something here… oh, well…_

I leaned back in my seat and tried to get comfortable enough to nap, while Edward started driving making his way out of the neighbourhood.

I looked at the rear-view mirror again and saw that the green-eyed driver was peeking at me. I smiled at him and saw his eyes wrinkle a bit at the sides, signalling that he was smiling at me too. I sighed and closed my eyes trying to get some rest.

It felt like I only closed my eyes for a few moments when I felt someone tapping my shoulder. "Bella… Love, you have to wake up, we have arrived…" a smooth voice said quietly. _Hmm… I'm sure heaven will be an amazing place to live at with this angel talking sweetly to me._

Then, I heard a low whimper and that got me to yank myself from sleep world and sit up quickly. "JC… is the baby okay? What happened?" I said to the angel who was bending over me trying to wake me.

"Bella, relax… we just got here. And JC just woke up, don't worry!" Edward said with a chuckle. I looked beside me and the car-seat was empty. "Where is JC?" I asked panicking just as Alice came from behind Edward carrying JC in her arms.

"Sorry, Bella. I wanted to give you more time to sleep since you seemed to need it. But I think he's hungry…" Alice said sweetly looking at me apologetically. Edward backed away a bit making room for Alice to hand me JC. I grabbed his bottle from the bottle warmer and tested the milk on my skin as usual. I cradled JC to me giving him his bottle, looking up to see 'my wake-up-call' staring at me intently. He had the same calculating gaze he had when he was standing by the car before our journey.

"Sorry, guys… it will only take a few minutes. But he's really hungry…" I trailed off blushing and looking down at JC, waiting for him to finish his meal.

"It's okay, Bella. We have all the time." Alice replied sweetly, running her fingers through JC's hair while watching him drinking his milk. I noticed Edward was leaning against the car parked beside us with his arms crossed still staring at me.

When JC was done I burped him and handed him to Alice so that I can grab the necessities for us to start our Journey at the mall.

I locked the car, wore my baby pouch and placed a sleeping JC in it leaning making sure that his face was leaning against my collarbone. I bent my knees a bit to grab the baby's bag and put it on my shoulder but someone snatched from under my grasp before I even touched it.

"Well, since you have the baby. I'll be holding this thing." I heard Edward saying from beside me and he placed the bag on his shoulder. I smiled at him and thanked him.

"Alice, lead the way…" I said with a smirk.

"Buckle up, people. I say we have a bumpy ride ahead of us." She said with a grave tone while eyeing me appraisingly, apparently remembering what I had told her during dinner about my aversion to shopping.

With a long sigh and one hand holding JC to me while the other holding the strap of my purse to my shoulder, I made my way to the mall behind Alice with Edward tagging along behind us.

X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O-X

After a good four hours of some furniture items and baby stuff shopping; I was about to pass out from exhaustion. Edward, the evil twit, kept chuckling every time I tried to argue with her about not needing something or already having it. _Evil I tell you…_

That pixie was crazy, thank God for the money that Tanya had loaned me. She was a life saver! I'll have to remember to give her a call to tell her how everything was going.

"Alice… can we take a break. It's noon already! I need to change JC's diaper and give him his bottle… Maybe we can have lunch after that?" I pleaded with her leaning against one of the walls, since I was about to collapse.

"Oh, come on, Bella. We still have time for lunch. Oh, look! That store has sales on baby stuff, let's go peop-" she was cut off as Edward made his presence known for the first time since we had entered the mall; he held her arm and pointed at me with the index of the other hand.

"Pixie, look at the poor kid. She's been carrying her baby for the past _four_ hours and she hadn't even complained! Give her a break for heaven's sake. I already have lots of stuff to take to the car and my feet are killing me here!" He told her with an irritated tone.

She looked at me apologetically, "Sorry, Bella. I just forget myself when I'm shopping. I had forgotten that you were holding JC the whole time. He's quite an angel, you know. Not like the other babies I've seen. He's so quiet…" she said while caressing JC's face with her fingers and was awarded with him cooing at her softly.

"Okay, I will meet you both in the food court in about half an hour and then we can grab lunch. How does that sound?" I asked them waiting for their okay.

They both nodded and I grabbed the bag from Edward making my way to the 'mother & baby' restroom. I got to my business quickly feeding and changing JC. I found out that I had a good ten minutes to spare, I made my way back to the food court taking a seat at a small Chinese restaurant, letting out a long sigh as I leaned back.

I looked around for a minute before hearing someone clearing their throat beside me. I looked up to see a very sweet looking blond guy, around my age, with an amazing pair of blue eyes smiling sweetly at me. I smiled at him. He reminded me a lot of James. He was wearing the restaurant's uniform, holding a pen and a small notepad to take the orders.

"Um… Hi, can I get you anything, miss?" he asked me expectantly, the smile never leaving his face.

"Actually, I was waiting for my friends to join me. They'll be here any minute…" I trailed off, holding the sleeping JC to my chest. The handsome stranger looked down from my face to JC and leaned down to stroke his hair tenderly. "Is he yours?" he asked not looking at me, still stroking JC's hair.

"His name is JC and he's definitely mine." I said smiling down at the sleeping bundle in my arms.

"He's a beautiful, baby… just like his mother…" he smiled sweetly at me and I couldn't help but smile back.

"_Back off, Newton!" _a menacing voice said gravely from over my shoulder. My head whipped around to see the Angel of Death himself with his blazing green eyes standing to claim his next prey.

**End Chapter Six**

**AN: DUN DUN DUN! What do you think my sweet readers… I'd love some feedback ;) and if I hit the 300 review mark, you'll be reading about 'The Talk' that Edward got from his parents *evil grin* R&R, please… **


	8. Chapter 7

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Canon-parings.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: For the amazing response I had gotten from that last chapter I had decided I'd leave a treat for all of you… not only this chapter would be in EPOV… but also, you'll get the chance to meet jealous Edward, possessive Edward and last but not least a bit of a dominant Edward… also… you'll see some of the behind the scenes from last chapter with a few surprises… how you ask me… read and you'll see ;) …**

**You guys are so amazing… I loved each and every one of those reviews you had left me and I name…**

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**Faffi (xfarahx), you are so sweet… thanks for helping me out in this chapter.**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Seven**

**EPOV**

'_Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'… indeed._

And if that woman was, by any chance, a brown-eyed Succubus backed up with my own _loving_ mother… then, you've got that statement right to the spot. Hell had definitely broken loose on me because of that_ sweet little Angel_.

I was leaning back into the kitchen counter sipping on my coffee at this ungodly hour of the morning because of _my own little succubus_.

It's been only a couple of days since that _'Last Supper'_ scene. It still gives me that tingling feeling at the bit of my stomach every time I'd thought about it. And even though all hell broke loose on me after that encounter, I still can't get her out of my _fucking_ mind. _And I say fucking freely here, since that's what my mind has been doing to her in there lately._

Taking another sip of my coffee, my mind wandered to the day after _the dinner._

_**Flash back**_

I was making my way to the kitchen to grab my breakfast before heading out to meet Jasper. I went to the coffee machine poured myself a cup and was just turning around to lean against the counter when I found myself face to face with dad.

He was standing less than 2 feet away from me, giving me one of his coldest stares_._

"Good morning, dad. Uh… how are you this morning?" I stuttered like a four year old, looking at my feet before taking a sip and looking up at him again only to find him narrowing his eyes at me. His piercing blue eyes were throwing daggers at me.

_Oh my God, I'm dead._

"Edward Anthony, Is what your mom told me true?" he asked gravely. _Shit, he had just used my middle name, death sounds inviting now._

"Um… it's not uh… what you think, dad… uh… I mean…" I ran my fingers through my hair stuttering like an imbecile. _Please, God… I'll be good. Just help me this time… no talk, please don't let him give me The Talk…_

He pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and his thumb… _hmm, oddly familiar…_ and then uttered the dreaded words, "We need to talk, Edward".

_And thank you, God, for listening…_

I sighed and prayed to God that it wouldn't take long… and my prayer was answered. My dad talked none stop for a whole 20 minutes.

He didn't yell.

He didn't loose his temper.

And I could have sworn that he didn't even fucking blink during the first ten minutes, even though I knew that was impossible.

He went through the whole 'this is not how I raised you…' to 'all things I could ruin by being the insolent boy that I am'… and then giving me some glimpses of a future of what could become of me if I maintained the same life style. Our little 'talk'was wrapped up into the following 'minutes of meeting':

_No car for a month._

_No disrespect 'of any kind' towards 'Miss Virtue'._

_I'll have to earn points by helping her out as much as I can in order to earn both my car and my parents' trust back, since I had apparently jeopardized that last one._

_Duly signed… Father & 'Sin'… I mean Father & son_

After that I was sent to my room to 'reflect' on said 'Minutes of Meeting' and was asked to remain there like a 5 year old for the remainder of the day. But before I could get out of the kitchen, dad called me back to leave me with the words that made me shrivel…

"Son, let me leave you with those few words for you to ponder… And I'm going to be really blunt here… What makes you think that you are so different from Bella? What do you know about her? I mean obviously you are both smart, you both have strong personalities, even though I doubt that she would have acted as rudely as you…" _you have no idea, I thought_…

"But, what do you _really_ know about her? Well, if I wanted to say that she had done a mistake I'm going to counter myself with the thought that she has at least owned up to it. She has owned up to her own mistakes! You, on the other hand, _could_ have been the one who had put her through this whole ordeal… think about it, son… by all fairness, that baby _could_ have been _yours_. You shouldn't have judged her, son. So for now, the one question I'm gonna leave you with is… what will _you_ do?"

And with that he turned around a left.

_**End Flashback**_

"_What will you do?"_

Dad's words had wrecked me. He knew just what to say… always knew what key words to use to unlock the vault of my conscience… because according to him I was a good guy.

The last 48 hours I had gone to hell and back trying to figure out what I was supposed to do. _Well, an apology sounds good for starters…_

Yes, I would apologize… _but for what?_ I really wanted to know her!

I sighed; I knew I had brought this on myself… Pixie apparently was told about my _predicament_. Taking pity on me, she asked me to join her and 'the cause of that predicament' in their shopping trip.

Pixie made a beeline to the coffee machine. She poured herself a cup and stood beside me looking out the window.

"You are going to behave yourself today, aren't you, Edward?" she asked quietly still looking out the window.

Oh God! Not you too…

"Pixie, I'm only gonna be helping you and _Miss Swan_ with your shopping. Nothing more. Nothing less. It's business not pleasure" I said with the coldest tone I could muster.

"Could have fooled me… well, Edward… it didn't look like you only meant _business_ at dinner the other night; when you were about to 'devour' something or rather _someone_ else besides your food at that table!" she cocked an eyebrow at me. _Damn! That pixie knew me too well._

"And just for the record, you put yourself in that shit. You acted like a dickhead, pardon my French, and it backfired badly and the shit hit the fan…" _no shit, Sherlock_ "now, play it smart and it all will earn you more than cookie points… I know you have this thing for that girl and don't deny it, 'cause I see it in your eyes…"

I sighed "Well, I won't deny it. Every thought I have towards this…" I tried to come up with a name to call her, but the piercing blue eyes that met my gaze made me stop, "I mean _Bella_, is more sinful than the other. It's strange."

Suddenly, Pixie started bouncing up and down clapping her hands, giving me the widest of grins like she was auditioning for the next 'Joker' part. "Oh, Eddie. I know everything will be perfect! You both are like two peas in a pod! I just know it!" _okay, I think she embraced that Joker part too well… she's definitely insane!_

I glowered at her "Pixie! Were you even _attempting_ to listen to what I was saying? Don't you know the reason why I'm taking a round trip to hell and back? It's all because of her! She had told on me! She was the one to put me in trouble!" _jeez! Sometimes pixie can be so dense!_

She stopped bouncing, put her hands on her hips and gave me a fierce look, "Edward Anthony Cullen! Are you betting against me?" she asked me gravely. _Gulp…_

"Um… no! But you are ignoring all the facts here. How are things going to be _perfect?_"I asked her frustrated running my fingers through my hair.

"You'll see. Now, be a good boy and go help her set up her things in her car. Since she will be holding the baby and all… I'm sure she'd appreciate a hand. I'll follow you in a few minutes" with that she flew out of my sight.

I put my cup in the sink and made my way to Pandora's Box… _I mean house._ Contemplating on the best scenario I'd go with for my rendition of 'the apology'; and settling on giving her a piece of my mind at first, for what she had caused me, and then apologizing.

I approached her door, talking myself into a fight. My dad's words still haunting my thoughts. How can he doubt me? I valued my father's opinion of me a lot. I knew he was hoping that I'd be a doctor just like him one day, which was something I intended to fulfil. He knew that Emmett didn't have enough in him to pursue such a career and Alice had an artistic mind just like mom's. Which left him with me!

I was the future doctor of the family. And from the look on dad's face, I could see that he'd begun to suspect that he had misplaced his trust. _His trust in me was ruined._

I knocked on the door and regretted it right away. I'm sure the look on my face was of pure disgust and self-loathing; I should have calmed myself first. Shit, if she sees me now, she'll…

The door suddenly flew opened, "You are a little early, Ali-" she cut herself off and stood there staring at me like a deer caught in the headlights. Damn! The she looked really tired… still sexy as hell.

Her attire was really simple, even her hair was pulled into a missy ponytail, but still she looked _delicious_.

I could have sworn that she had lost a few pounds over the last couple of days. Even her skin looked paler and the circles under her eyes were more pronounced… _What the hell._

I'm sure the frown on my face from my previous thoughts was still there, because she looked like she was staring death in the face. _Pure horror, as if I was about to devour her. Not that it was untrue._

My dad's voice echoed in my head…_ "You, on the other hand, could have been the one who had put her through this whole ordeal"…_

I blinked trying to clear my head and asked her gravely "Are you ready?"

"Umm… yeah. Uh, why are you here? Where is Alice? She's supposed to come with me to the mall?" she answered in a small voice taking a step back, still looking scared. _Damn! I'm not about to suck the life out of you! Get a grip, girl._

I took a deep breath to calm myself and tried to relax my rigid posture. I looked at her again and answered "She's on her way. She just asked me to come and check if you needed any help setting up your things in the car. Since you'll be holding the baby, she… I mean _we_ thought I could help you put the stuff in the car, just to save time."

_Shit, I sounded like an annoying boy who had been dragged into doing errands. Especially with those circles under her eyes, I'm sure she'd be extra appreciative for the way I'm offering my help. Great job, numbskull…_

I narrowed my eyes on the circles under her eyes. When I saw her trying to say something and failing, I closed my eyes and shook my head to clear my thoughts. I chanced a look at my house for a second to make sure Alice hasn't followed yet and looked back at the scared angel in front of me.

"Look. I don't even want to know what you are thinking with all that fear in your eyes. God knows, if I was a vampire you wouldn't be this scared…" I said quickly and then sighed running my fingers through my hair.

Change of tactics… I need to apologize and be done with this shit to take it off my chest. I took a deep breath and looked at her…

"Listen. I know I acted like a total jerk to you and I admit it was intentional. I liked how you looked and I wasn't thinking straight. But still, that didn't give you the right to rat me out. Hell! You have been around the block as anyone can see; so why couldn't you just take it and shut up about it… I mean you already said what you wanted to say at the store. You could have left it at that. But no, you had to come here and ruin my life. Because of you, _Miss_ _Virtue_, I lost my car privileges for a month, had to sit through the whole 'parent talk' and now I have to be your slave for the day in order to gain some points that would get me back my car. _Happy now?" _I finished off my stupid 'apology', venom almost dripping with every word and I didn't even notice that I was approaching her till our faces were almost touching.

Shit!

SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT! That didn't come out right! Nonononononono! Not like this, I didn't mean it like this at all.

Oh my God! God, the shock on her face… _I need to set this strait right away…_

But before I could open my mouth, she opened hers…

"Seriously? No, I mean… _seriously?_ You are actually blaming your situation on me? How? I mean… Are you crazy? I didn't ask for any of this! I didn't even want to meet you again. Do you think with the way you treated me at the store that I would want to speak to you again, let alone know you? No, _Pinhead_. I know my mistakes and believe me, knowing people like you wasn't one of them.

"But on the other hand, _**you don't know anything**_! Not about me, not about what got me into this situation. And you know what… I don't think your little brain can even begin to comprehend the tiniest bit of what I'm going through. So, guess what you _jerk._ I don't care what you think of me. And, if I was feeling guilty before for getting you into trouble, now it all disappeared. I can't believe that I was actually considering apologizing to you for what I had done…" she trailed off shaking her head, and bolted into the house with tears running down her face.

_God, take me now._

_She wanted to apologize… to me… for something which I had started… and she was feeling guilty for it…_

"_She has at least owned up to her own mistakes!"_ my dad's voice echoed again in my head.

_And apparently she is owning up to mine, now…_

Not gonna happen! I'll show her. I might not know a thing about her, but I'm gonna show her that she's not going to be responsible for _my_ mistakes, too.

I mean… did she really think so low of me? Why? Even if I acted like a stupid adolescent… she is the one who _doesn't know anything_ about me! She has misjudged me!

"_You shouldn't have judged her, son"_ dad's voice rang in my head again. _Oh my God, this is what I had been doing to her from the started. I had already judged her when it wasn't my place._

I grabbed the baby's bag and stuff that were set beside the door and went to stand by the car, just as Alice passed me to the Chief's house. She narrowed her eyes at me when she saw my face and glanced back at the house.

She sprinted to the house and I stood there thinking of ways to rectify what I had done.

What the hell was happening to me? If this shit had happened before and someone told me that I'd be a nervous wreck trying to appease a chick for calling her names, I'd be laughing my ass off…

But, right now, for Bella… I'd do the impossible for her to change her mind about me… _Hell!_

I still had a contemplative look on my face when she approached me and I couldn't help but stare at her. What wasn't she telling me? She always had this mysteriousness surrounding her. She looked down once she sensed my stare.

I could see Alice trying to make sense of what was happening and I couldn't blame her. Even I couldn't figure out what was going on.

But nothing in the world could have prepared me for the next thing I saw.

She smiled at me.

_People_… _She SMILED at me…_

"Thank you for your help" the angel said and she blushed furiously.

And I was done for it. I'm sure I was gaping at her like a total wack!

She was thanking me for helping her… after everything I said to her… after all I had _done_ to her!

Once the shock was gone, I cocked my head and just smiled at her, "You are most welcome, Bella." I said. _Anytime sugar tits…_

She stood beside me for a few seconds gaping at me and I couldn't help but chuckle a bit. I looked at her and she looked like she was about to pass out.

"Breathe, Bella." Alice said giggling.

She unlocked the car and asked us to get in while proceeding to strap JC in his car-seat. _She wasn't thinking that she would be driving like this, was she… she looked dead on her feat!_

I took a quick glance in Alice's direction and I saw her gazing back at me, when she voiced her concern…

"Bella, why don't you get in the back seat and try to get some rest. It's going to be a bit more than an hour before we reach the mall. I'll wake you up once we are there. You look dead on your feet, no offence. And I'm really starting to feel guilty for dragging you up this early." Alice said in a sweet tone and a sad smile. _Thank you, sis… I owe you one._

"It's okay, Alice. Really, I'm fine. And, no offence taken, so don't worry. I told you this was expected when you are taking care of an infant." My stupid lamb thinks that I'm giving her a choice here… she actually _thinks_ that I will _allow_ her to drive… maybe she needs spanking. Maybe later on… fine, time to set things right.

"Well, I should tell you this… I'm not sure how things worked in Phoenix, but they don't allow zombies to drive here in the State of Washington… and I sure am not letting you drive me anywhere in that state of yours" I'm sure I sounded like a total jerk, but I didn't care. 'Cause the only way she'll be driving this thing was over my dead rotten body!

"Edward!" Alice gave me the sharpest gaze her blue eyes could muster.

Ding ding ding… Dad Alert… I was having a bad case of De Javu here… she had _Carlisle Cullen's eyes and stare combo… _she scared the shit out of me. But I couldn't give a rat's ass about what she was thinking right now… I was on a mission.

"And you think I'd let you drive like a maniac with my child and me in the car? I know about your speeding tickets, Mister," She said with her hands on her hips looking up at me. _Touché, sugar tits… although the only hands I'd love to see on those hips are mine while I'm pounding the heck out of you._

I approached her and looked her square in the eye. She was just bound to make this difficult…

"Bella, you need to rest…" I said in a clear voice before approaching her some more and whispering…

"Get in the _fucking_ back seat, Bella, and get some sleep. You need to gain some strength back. You look like shit. Fuck! Don't make me feel guiltier than I am already feeling…" I made sure Alice couldn't hear me. I was ready to plead with her… so, I did…

"_Please…"_ I said; heck! I didn't even recognize myself saying it.

She looked at me shocked and I could still feel Alice's daggers.

And for the second time that day, she surprised me… she smiled! Even if it was for Alice's benefit, she still smiled… _Lovely!_ I could see Alice from the corner of my eye getting into the passenger's seat.

And the goddess graced me with another look. I was still worried that she would argue again…

She smiled at me and looked away.

This must be my lucky day!

She nodded her head. She _listened to me…_

I sighed and couldn't help but grin at her like an idiot. I was beyond happy that she was doing what I had told her to do. The fact that she succumbed to my wishes… what else would she be willing to succumb to… _Down boy!_

I leaned to her and whispered, "Thank you, love".

Her head whipped around to look at me with wide eyes; she looked as if she was surprised I said something strange_…_

Our noses were almost touching and I could smell her sweet breath fanning my face. Our eyes locked for a good thirty seconds, then I shifted my eyes to her lips and back to her eyes. I came closer to her my lips barely brushing her lower lip. And I felt as if an electric shock surged through my body and I couldn't breathe…

I felt the angel tremble and she was about to stumble to the ground, but I wouldn't have that. I encircled her with my arms holding her to my chest.

"Bella, are you okay?" I asked her anxiously, still holding her close to me.

"Umm… yeah. I'm fine. Let me just sit…" she answered in a low tone.

I smiled at her, shaking my head and held her to my body with one arm, while opening the back door with my other hand. I helped her get settled and went to the driver's seat. _Everything in place…_

I adjusted the seat and then the rear-view mirror till our eyes locked in the mirror. I held her gaze for a few seconds, then looked out of the windshield and started the car.

I was admiring the car's gear and getting re-acquainted with the art that is the _Volvo._ When my angel's voice spoke up, "Is it okay if you play this CD? Usually it relaxes me and keeps the baby quiet even if he wakes up." She handed a CD to Alice.

"Sure, Bella. I listen to all kind of stuff. I don't mind one bit." Alice popped the CD into the stereo and pushed some buttons to start playing the CD. I wonder what she listens to…

"Um… is it okay with you, Edward? I don't want to make you listen to something you don't like since you are the one who's driving…" she trailed off as Debussy started to play.

_Shit! This could not be happening…_

I looked at her through the rear-view mirror shocked and I could feel Alice beside me mirroring me.

_Is this girl for real?_

"Umm… guys I can change it, you really don't have to listen to it. It's just something that I like…" she said uncertainly reaching to the CD player from between the front seats. And I gripped her hand before it touched the CD player. She looked at me, waiting for me to speak.

"Leave it, Bella. I have the same CD…" I said with a goofy grin.

She looked at Alice apparently to get her okay with this "Don't' worry, Bella. I know this music… it's kind of uh… familiar" she finished with her own version of that goofy grin while looking at me.

The angel leaned back in her seat and I started driving making my way out of the neighbourhood.

I chanced another look into the rear-view mirror again and saw that the chocolate-eyed goddess peeking at me. She astounded me with another breath-taking smile which I couldn't help but return and looked back at the road.

The ride to the mall was quiet. Alice left me to my driving to text on her phone. And then she put the ear-budds and started listening to the music on her iphone leaning back and closing her eyes.

"_Mom, don't leave me"_ a whispering voice called from behind me.

_What the…_

"_JC… James… don't leave me… I need you…"_ I looked at the rear-view mirror and saw the sleeping angel mumbling in her sleep.

I didn't want to alert Alice so I maintained my composure and continued to drive while my hearing was straining to my sleep-talker in the back seat, waiting to hear her unconscious thoughts.

I bet that _James_ fellow is the bastard who had left her in this dilemma! _I'm gonna give the piece of shit a piece of my mind if I ever get the chance to put my hands on him…_

"_Hates me… don't know…hmm… luv…"_

_SHITSHITSHITSHIT_

_Did she just say love? Shit?_ I waited for her to say more but nothing else was said…

Just as were about to arrive to the mall. JC started to whimper and rub his eyes with his small fists. I tapped Alice on the shoulder and she looked at me. I gestured with my head to the back and she looked back to find JC suckling on his fist.

We arrived at the mall and I pulled to a spot near the entrance, knowing Alice will be buying the whole damn thing and I'd be left carrying things to the car.

"Leave her a few more minute, you carry JC and try to sooth him, maybe she can have a few more minutes to rest… she needs those." I told Alice who went to tend to JC.

She carried him in her arms and rocked him a bit.

A few more minute passed and when I saw that JC was being difficult, I thought I'd better wake her up.

I tapped my Bella's shoulder. "Bella… Love, you have to wake up, we have arrived…" I spoke softly hoping not to startle her.

She jerked up panicked, "JC… is the baby okay? What happened?" she shot at me. _Silly girl… as if I'd let anything happen to her or JC._

"Bella, relax… we just got here. And JC just woke up, don't worry!" I couldn't help but chuckle. She looked at the car-seat which was empty. "Where is JC?" she asked me panicking again, just as Alice came from behind me carrying JC in her arms.

"Sorry, Bella. I wanted to give you more time to sleep since you seemed to need it. But I think he's hungry…" Alice said apologetically. I backed away a bit to make room for Alice to hand JC to my girl. She fussed a bit trying to feed the baby and I just stood their staring at her. She was so tender… the way she was holding him, caressing him… it was amazing.

"Sorry, guys… it will only take a few minutes. But he's really hungry…" she trailed off blushing and looking down at JC, waiting for him to finish his meal.

_Silly Bella. You don't have to apologize for that. I'm just thankful that JC's being a good boy concentrating on feeding and not trespassing on my territory._

"It's okay, Bella. We have all the time." Alice replied sweetly, while I kept eye contact with my lamb with my arms crossed.

When JC was done with his meal, we made our way to the mall with me trailing at the rear.

I saw a few guys sitting on the steps leading to the mall and I noticed that they were fixing my girl with not-so-nice stares. And even though I knew she didn't notice, I just didn't like it! Who the hell were they to eye my Bella in such manner? I approached them giving them the scariest look I could muster and gestured with my head for them to leave. I must have been convincing, because they sprinted to their feet making their way out, while giving me careful backward glances.

It's going to be a long day…

X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O-X

After a good four hours of shooting death glares at half of the male population at the mall I was about to drop dead. The only thing holding me back from killing all those guys were the things I was carrying. I mean come on! Anyone can see that JC could have passed as my son! _Really he could have…_

And was my lamb really beyond me that all of those guys thought she was still available to them.

_Maybe I should do something to mark my territory… cuffing her wrist to mine, maybe… _

_Or maybe a collar… mmm… Bella wearing my collar with her wrists cuffed to the bed post…_

Shit, now I was pissed with a hard on… _Perfect! Just the cherry on top of the crap that is my day!_

Just then my 'sinful dream' spoke up, "Alice… can we take a break. It's noon already! I need to change JC's diaper and give him his bottle… Maybe we can have lunch after that?" my lamb pleaded with Alice leaning against one of the walls.

"Oh, come on, Bella. We still have time for lunch. Oh, look! That store has sales on baby stuff, let's go peop-" I cut pixie off as I was sure she was trying to drain my girl… this is my girl and I'm taking care of her. No one is allowed to drain her… _but me, of course. And by means only approved by yours truly…_

"Pixie, look at the poor kid. She's been carrying her baby for the past _four_ hours and she hadn't even complained! Give her a break for heaven's sake. I already have lots of stuff to take to the car and my feet are killing me here!" I told her with an irritated tone, pointing at my poor girl who was about to collapse.

"Sorry, Bella. I just forget myself when I'm shopping. I had forgotten that you were holding JC the whole time. He's quite an angel, you know. Not like the other babies I've seen. He's so quiet…" Pixie apologized, while caressing JC's face with her fingers which was awarded with him cooing at her softly.

"Okay, I will meet you both in the food court in about half an hour and then we can grab lunch. How does that sound?" my 'little mommy' asked us waiting for our okay.

I was considering following her, but thought against it. I nodded and she grabbed JC's bag from my hand making her way to the 'mother & baby' restroom. I gave a hard look to pixie, which I'm sure she understood why she got it, and made my way to the car to put the things we got and get to my business.

I entered the restroom, there were two guys attending to their business and talking.

"Embry man, I'm telling you. There is no way that kid could have been hers. I'm sure she's babysitting"

"Uh uh, Sam. Did you see how she was holding him? She wasn't even acknowledging us. We should just leave her alone"

_What? How did I miss those two pea-brains?_

I finished my business quickly and waited by the sinks taking my time drying off my hands. Once I saw they were done cleaning their hands and dried off, I stood in their way.

"Is there something wrong, man? Move." That Sam guy told me.

I gave him a fierce look, "You should listen to _Embry's_ advice, Sam. This girl is out of your league…" my voice was low but quivering with anger.

"And, what's it to you, _dude?"_ Sam seethed at me.

_Oh, no. He didn't…_

"I'm her boyfriend and that's our son." I threw that his way and spun around leaving him shell-shocked.

I can't believe how people can be so… UGH! I was about to explode… this isn't very good… it's hasn't been a full day around her and I already was about to beat a few guys and now she was my _girlfriend_ and JC was _my son._

I need to calm down, I don't think this can get any uglier, right…

_Wrong!_

Just ahead of me was _freakin' _Mike Newton making conversation with my Bella and stroking my baby's hair. Not happening!

I hastened my pace and as I reached them I heard the sleaze ball saying, "He's a beautiful, baby… just like his mother…" smiling at my girl.

I tried to stay calm but I was already seeing red…

"Back off, Newton!" as I was about to pounce…

**End Chapter Seven**

**AN: DUN DUN DUN! I know I'm really mean, but you saw many glimpses of jealous, possessive and even some dominant Edward ;) What do you think my sweet readers… do you want some more o' dat ;) *evil grin* R&R, please… **


	9. Chapter 8

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Jealous/Dom/Possessive Edward.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: to all of you my amazing readers… I got over 100 reviews! So I decided I'd leave a treat for all of you… not only this chapter would be in EPOV… but also, you'll get the chance to meet jealous Edward, possessive Edward and dominant Edward but also, there will be one hot kissf and a big big big surprise at the end… read and you'll see ;) …**

**You guys are so amazing… I loved each and every one of those reviews you had left me and some of you were extra generous to leave review for each chapter (You are GREAT!) and I name…**

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**You are all AMAZING!**

**Also, I just want to make sure that you are reading the stories of my dearest friend (kuntrygal), check out her amazing story 'Taboo' and leave her some lovin' ;)**

**Warning! This chapter has inappropriate language and almost lemon (towards the end), so consider this as a fair warning.**

**Faffi (xfarahx), you are so sweet… thanks for helping me out in this chapter.**

**You Don't Know Anything**

_**Previously…**_

_Just ahead of me was freakin' Mike Newton making conversation with my Bella and stroking my baby's hair. Not happening!_

_I hastened my pace and as I reached them I heard the sleaze ball saying, "He's a beautiful, baby… just like his mother…" smiling at my girl._

_I tried to stay calm but I was already seeing red… _

"_Back off, Newton!" as I was about to pounce…_

**Chapter Eight**

**EPOV**

The nitwit was trying to lure my Bella into his web… uh uh! Not happening! Why can't people just leave us alone!

I saw my girl's head whip around to look at me. Her eyes widened at the look on my face. While _Blondie's _face here blanched as if I was death.

I stood by Bella with one hand on the back of her chair, still staring daggers at Newton.

"_Cullen_. What… are you doing here? You know this beautiful lady?" _Ken_ spoke after a few seconds.

"I'm here to help _Bella_ shop for school and to set things up for JC. _Bella_ is the Chief of Police's daughter. She's my gir- uh… neighbour_._ Now. _Back off…"_ I stated as calmly as I could.

"I was just uh… trying to see if I can get her… uh… I mean Bella… anything… It's my job. I work here." He stammered gesturing to the restaurant behind him. _Get her anything… my ass!_

"You weren't trying to get her anything, Newton. You were _flirting!_ I heard you… so don't deny it." I said leaning towards him. He was lucky that there was a table between us, because if it wasn't there I would have ripped his head off. I was still fuming from my encounter in the men's room.

"Cullen. I was not flirting. But… I'm gonna be honest with you and say that I wanted to introduce myself to Bella and maybe _ask to buy her coffee_, if it's okay with her?" He said with a smug smile, directing the last part at Bella who was smiling at him sweetly.

_I swear the twit was playing with his life-blood._

"Hello, Bella. I'm Mike Newton. It's nice to meet you. I go to school with Cullen." The airhead said to my Bella holding out his hand for her to shake.

_Hmm… if I cut off that arm and start beating him with it, maybe then he will catch my drift…_

"It's nice to meet you, Mike. As you heard, I'm Bella Swan. I just moved here from Phoenix. And this is my son, JC." The angel said in a low voice not to disturb JC, _again smiling sweetly at Newton_!

_What the Fuck! Am I invisible or something?! _I cleared my throat grabbing both their attentions, "Really, Newton? You are smarter than to think that a smart girl like Bella would be falling for a stupid hook-up line like that…" I said spitefully.

My angel scowled at me holding the whimpering baby to her, "at least he's not '_bumping'_ his acquaintance to hook up with me…" she said venomously. I pouted as if she had kicked my puppy. She pursed her lips and I could see that she was trying to hold back her smile… _girl, you shouldn't have done that…_

"Did someone try to-" _Mickey_ _Mouse_ here was getting on my nerve so I gave him a 'pat', that knocked the wind out of him, on the back cutting him off, "_Mickey, _dear_._ How about you go back to where you came from and we'll give you a whistle when Alice's here to order… okay? Good boy… now, run along…" I squeezed his shoulder hard trying to get my message through, which I saw had gotten to him… _at last!_

I sat down in the seat opposite my girl and leaned back. I saw Newton walking away rubbing his shoulder and I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. _That will teach you… stupid boy._

Still chuckling, I looked at my girl and saw her glaring daggers at me. _oops…_

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" she whispered fiercely.

"What?! Don't tell me you wanted _him_ to buy you coffee?! Come on, Bella. Even you can sense how dull and boring he is…" I looked at her indignantly.

"He sounds like Elizabeth-Bennett-trying-to-make-a-point sans the backbone, of course…" I said seriously.

She looked at me with wide eyes and burst out laughing. I saw JC stir a bit and then nestle back against my girl's honeysuckle sacks…

_What!? What was so funny…_

"What's so funny?" I asked her lightly, having regained my composure after the encounter with the 'Little Red-riding hood' _Mike_ and the 'wolf'_ Sam._

"You are, Mr. Cullen." she said still laughing softly shaking her head at me. "You keep saying the strangest of things." She completed staring at me strangely.

"I'm glad I amuse you, Miss Swan." I answered her in the sexiest voice I could muster and I heard her breath hitch.

"Still… you had no right to tell him off. I could have done that. I can stand up for myself, you know…" she told me warily, "and what do you have against him anyway? He _sounded_ like a gentleman and he surely _acted_ like one. Why shouldn't I accept his offer? Not that I care about your opinion…" she trailed off busying herself with JC's blanket.

"First, he's no match for you. You are way smarter than him. Second, he's dull. You'll be so bored that you'd find watching JC sleep more entertaining than hearing the poor boy talk. And finally, you've got me. I know this morning our talk didn't go well. I wanted to apologize and acted like a complete _Jackass_ and for that I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to accuse you of anything. It's just that those last couple of days didn't go too well…" I trailed off running my fingers through my hair and scanning the food court for pixie.

I looked at Bella and saw her eyeing me carefully as if waiting for me to pounce on her any minute, "come on, love. I really didn't mean to act like that at all. I'll make it up to you, I swear…" I said solemnly.

She eyed me for a minute and then sighed. She looked at JC in her arms, adjusted his blanket and kissed him on his head. She looked at me again as she started stroking JC's hair softly.

"How do I know that you mean what you're saying? I mean, you hurt me, Edward. Even if you didn't mean it, you really _did_ _hurt_ me. You have been treating me like a skank! What changed?" she asked guardedly, as if trying to gauge out how serious I was.

"Love, why don't you trust me?" I said exasperatedly and I regretted my tone right away once I saw her flinch at my words.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to sound like an ass. But you got to trust me when I say that I really wanted to know you. And I had sensed that you were already different than the others, even with your little situation here…" I trailed off giving a pointed glance at JC which I saw her trace.

"The talk, I told you about, had given me some points to ponder and I'm thinking they did the trick. I will never judge you. I just want a chance to re-gain your trust, or rather gain your trust since I never had it in the first place… Am I making any sense?" I asked her nervously.

She continued to stroke JC's hair and I couldn't help but sigh. I kept imagining that she was running her fingers through my hair…

"One chance…" she whispered.

"huh?" I said stupidly.

"I'll give you one chance to show me that you mean what you have said and to rectify things. I wasn't going to forgive you, but you seem to actually feel guilty about what had happened and you haven't acted out on me all day. _But_…" she stopped raising a finger and pointing it at me.

"That last _macho_ act was not nice at all, you know. The last thing I need is for you to act on my behalf. I can fend for myself and Mike was acting like a gentleman. There was no need to do what you did." she warned me. _Yeah right, sweet tits… he had no bad intentions what so ever… NOT!_

"He's no good for you. I was just trying to make a point, because if I hadn't acted that way. He's gonna _leech_ his way into your pants. And, I'm not gonna stand and watch him do that…" I said shaking my head like a stupid kid trying to make his point… _not on my watch… uh uh!_

"Edward. You are not going to act like that again, _right?_" she asked me slowly cocking an eyebrow at me.

"Fine!" I huffed and looked down at the table looking like a kid deprived of his favourite toy, when I heard her giggling softly. I looked at her and saw her trying to stifle her giggle with her hand. I couldn't help the stupid grin that appeared on my lips.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" Alice sat down beside Bella.

"Hey, Alice. Where were you?" I asked her trying to divert Bella's attention away from our lastest conversation.

"I called Jazz and he'll be meeting us here in a couple of hours. I saw some nice outfits and I wanted him to try them." She said as if it was so obvious and then she looked at me quizzically, "What's got you all ticked? What happened?" she shifted her eyes between Bella and I.

"Bella had the pleasure of meeting _Newton_." I said through gritted teeth, watching my Bella's face blush.

Alice's face lit up when she heard what I said and she gave me a knowing smile before turning to Bella by her side, "Oh, Bella. Isn't he handsome? He's a real catch; all the girls have been throwing themselves at him at school. I wouldn't have let him get away if I didn't have my Jazz…" she said excitedly.

_What the fuck!_

"Alice! What do you mean by _'he's a catch',_ for heaven's sake!? He's a douchebag and he's not worth Bella's time. She's way better than him." I glared at her trying to make her get my point. But she continued to smile at me, "But, brother dear… he's perfect for Bella. He's a true _gentleman…_ He had never fooled around. Hell, I've never even heard him curse or-" I was seething so I cut her off,

"ALICE! He's not good for Bella. PERIOD! You don't know what he is. He could be a pervert or something. No one is that nice…" I could swear the look on my face was of pure hatred. I could swear that there was something about the guy that's not right… _no one is that nice… EVER!_

"Edward! What have we just agreed on?! And what do you have against him anyway… do you have something that you know for a _fact?_ Because if you don't, you better _shut_ _it_ before I take back the deal…" my girl threatened and I gulped.

_Not fair… I am only watching your back, love._

I looked pleadingly at Alice. I knew that she was trying to get back at me for what I have already done to my Bella. But enough was enough. And I'm sure she had realized that I had reached my limit. She knows I have issues with Newton, she knows that I hate him and she _knows_ there must be something wrong with him, even though no one can pinpoint it. _Yet…_

"Well, Bella. Let's just take things slow. I'm sure boys are not on your mind right now, right?" Alice said trying to cool Bella down. _That's right, because she already has a MAN…_

"No shit, Alice. I already have JC. The last thing I'd need right now is to add _more_ _snags_ to my _'little_ _situation'_." She finished off her sentence looking pointedly at me. _Shit, she's referring to what I have told her…_

"Don't worry, Bella. I'm sure we'll find you someone amazing. Even if I have to use my pixie powers, I'll fly and get you the man of your dreams. Right, _Edward?"_ she winked at her and gave me a wide grin. _Note-to-Self… pluck evil pixie wings._

I glared at her some more, but she ignored me and looked around the court. "So, guys. What do you want to have for lunch?" she asked us.

"I'm gonna have Chinese. It's my favourite." My girl said with a smile. She has taste! But hell will have to freeze over before I order from _Dorky-Mikey. _I'm sure my face showed how ticked I got when I heard her say that. And an evil grin appeared on her face. _Oh-uh… she's up to something…_

"_Edward…_ I have craving for some different Chinese things, but I don't think I can finish them all… _would you like to share with me?"_ she asked me sweetly, batting her lashes at me. _Brainy-Edward here… over and out._

"Sure, Love." I said with a goofy grin.

Alice, who was still browsing, whipped her head and stared at me wide-eyed with her mouth agape. _What's her problem? She knows I love Chinese…_

"I'll have Chinese as well. Edward, do you mind calling Mike so we can order? He's standing over there with his back to us." Alice said with a wicked grin.

"Sure, Ali-baba" I said with a smile. I looked around and didn't bother to move further, I whistled high enough to gain the puppy's attention.

Sure enough, I saw him running our way.

"Hey, Alice. How are you? So, guys… what can I get you?" he asked looking at my Bella. _So not happening, boy!_

"Order whatever you're craving, love…" I said to my girl… while Newton gaped at me. _What? It's not like I'm gonna order before her, ladies first, right…_

My girl started giving him her order and the stupid boy was still looking at me, "Newton, you'd better be memorizing her order because if you miss any of it, you will answer to me…" I threatened. _I wasn't about to let my girl starve here…_

"Oh. Sorry, Bella. Can you repeat that?" he shook his head and started to take her order again. I looked at Alice, nodding to her to give her order.

Once Alice was done, I looked at him, "I want you to double… no triple the order that Bella had given you. And I'll have a coke to go with tha-" I was cut off by my girl's exasperated voice, "Edward! Are you crazy?! I already ordered three things and I don't eat a lot, you should_" but I wasn't taking any of that, so I cut her off,

"That's my point. You are not eating well and you are already loosing weight. You are not eating properly! Can you please just let me take care of you? Don't worry; I'll eat the rest…" I was frustrated. I can't just have her all skin and bones… she's already so petite.

"Bella, there is no use arguing with him. My dear brother is too stubborn for his own good…" pixie sneered. _Okay, amendment to Note-to-Self… Pluck evil pixie wings AND TONGUE!_

I gave her a glare and looked the stupid puppy standing beside me staring at _my Bella. _I cleared my throat gaining his attention, "I'm not gonna repeat myself, Newton. Run along…" I said giving him a hard look. _Now, go. Fetch… Good boy._

I leaned back and watched as Newton ran to get our food. I couldn't help but chuckle. I looked at my angel and saw her glaring at me. _Shit, _"What! You need to eat and he was just standing there…" I tried to explain, "You could act more _civil, _Edward…" she huffed.

When the food arrived, I noticed Bella _picking_ at her food, trying to manage to eat with one hand, since she was holding JC with the other and she couldn't hold the boxes near her. I was already done eating.

I grabbed one of the boxes, opened it and picked up some noodles with my chopsticks holding them near Bella's mouth, "Open up, Love…" I spoke softly to her; she looked at Alice whom I saw was looking at me with a shocked expression. But I couldn't give a rat's ass right now. _Gotta feed my girl…_

She opened up her mouth tentatively and I placed the food in her mouth. I watched as her lips closed around the chopsticks and she hummed appreciatively. I watched her chew her small bite, her tongue peeking every couple of chews to get any of the sauce off the corners of her lips.

I couldn't stop staring at her mouth; she missed a spot and I wiped it with my finger, but what I didn't anticipate was what she did next. Once my finger left the corner of her mouth, she turned her head and took the tip of my finger between her lips sucking lightly the sauce off of it. My breath hitched.

I felt her tongue twirling around it and hummed, then she released my finger from her mouth with a pop, "Did I get it all, Edward?" she asked me softly and I thought I was done for it.

_Images of Bella on her knees, looking at me with her doe-like eyes asking me that same question after 'finishing' me off with the same act… "Did I get it all, Edward?" she was asking me with a seductive voice…_

"Yes, you did, love…" I was almost panting when I answered her question; my eyes glazed over not leaving the sight of her luscious lips. _Is it me, or is it getting warm in here…_

"Eww Edward! Are going to continue _feeding_ Bella? Or should I help her instead? We still have more shopping to do!" Alice asked me, irritated.

"Back off, pixie. I'll help her. You know what… why don't you go get JC the stroller that you pointed out to me from before. This will give me enough time to help Bella finish her food and we can save time to continue our shopping trip… what do you think?" I asked pixie smiling sweetly at her and from the look on her face I knew she'd take the bait. _Gotcha!_

"But I don- UGH!" my stupid lamb was making an attempt to abort _my_ plan, so I took the chance and stuffed her mouth with a big bite. She looked at me scornfully and I gave her one of the famous Cullen piercing gazes causing her breath to hitch. She then blushed and looked at JC as she continued to chew her mouthful of food. _Good girl… no talking back to me!_

"See ya, guys." With that Pixie _flew_ to out of the food court.

"Don't be stubborn, love. You can't keep holding JC in your arms, you will hurt your back and you will get tired. You should've gotten that stroller long ago…" I trailed off, placing another bite in her mouth. I moved my chair so I was sitting beside her free hand and I watched her swallow the bite. _Damn! Since when did 'eating food' become too erotic?_ I adjusted my now _really_ _tight_ pants.

"I wanted to get him one. But we already got him so many things… I thought I'd wait till the next trip. I already have his basinet, I don't think I'm gonna need a- UGH!" I cut her off, stuffing another bite into her mouth. _And I thought I was the stubborn one!_

"Stop arguing, I'm getting you the damn stroller. And you are using it. I don't want to see you holding JC in your arms more than necessary. He's a growing baby and It's not practical. What if you trip?! Would you like to see him hit his head or something?" I asked her in an annoyed tone.

She wiped her mouth and I put the container on the table staring hard at her.

"Fine! But I will pay for the- MMM!" _not happening, _I crashed my lips to hers silencing her once and for all. She tasted like The sweet & sour she just ate… yum! At first, she was frozen. I'm guessing she didn't expect me to kiss her, but then as I started moving my lips against hers, her lips started reacting moving sensually against mine. I held her from the back of neck her neck with one hand and held her free hand with the other. I traced her lower lip with my tongue and once she opened up for me, I plunged my tongue into her mouth, massaging hers with mine.

When the need for air was too much, I moved away just a bit to take a quick breath, but stayed close to her gnawing on her lower lip lightly. My breathing was racing with hers and my pants were about to burst any second… never had I felt such powerful emotions with any girl_._

"I'm…" nibbling at the corner of her mouth, "getting you…" licking the other corner, "the _fucking_ stroller…" sucking at her bottom lip, "no arguments, love…" I continued to touch her mouth with mine, not kissing, just caressing it with my lips fanning my breath with hers and touching her nose with mine…

"uh huh…" her eyes were hooded and unfocused, she was trying to concentrate her gaze. I moved a bit further hesitantly, my eyes still darting between her mouth and eyes as if daring her to say another word after what I have told her.

"Good…" I whispered, moving a bit further trying to clear my head and will my 'problem' away… I closed my eyes and took a few deep calming breaths. I opened my eyes and peeked at her and saw her doing the same her recently freed hand on her heaving chest trying to calm herself, her eyes closed.

"I'll be back…" I whispered to her and took off not waiting for her acknowledgement. I zoomed to the bathroom. I splashed my face with cold water, taking more deep breaths. I waited for a few minutes and once everything was 'bearable', I got out making my way to the food court.

On the way I found Alice pushing a stroller happily with a sleeping JC in it and I approached her seeing that my angel was MIA, "Where is Bella?" I asked her quickly.

"She's freshenin' up and she'll meet me at the entrance on the second floor. Jazz will arrive in a bit and I'm meeting him there. Wait for her so that she doesn't get lost here and I'll see you both soon." With that she walked away.

I leaned against the wall opposite from the ladies' room waiting for Bella to emerge. I was hoping that I didn't scare her off by my act. I have never acted like this before towards any other female! It's like just the thought of her with anyone else, brings out the caveman in me. A few kids passed me playing with a Frisbee.

"Hey! Careful, boys... You're gonna hurt someone with that Frisbee! Play outside!" I scolded the one that looked to be the oldest of the bunch.

"Sure, sure… NOT!" he mocked me throwing the Frisbee with all his might my way, just as my Bella was getting out of the ladies' room.

The Frisbee was making a turn and about to make contact with Bella when I jumped in front of it taking the hit in right side of my forehead.

"UGH!" I yelped and covered the area with my hand, dropping to the ground.

"Edward! Oh My God! Edward, are you all right." My angel squatted beside me trying to uncover the area to check the damage. I leaned back against the wall closing my eyes trying not to think about the pain that got my head pounding.

"Edward, please answer me… are you alright?" she sounded as if she was about to cry, she took my head in her hands and held it to her chest stroking my hair… _déjà vu, much!_ Wasn't that what I had wished for just less than an hour ago, when I saw her stroking JC's hair against her chest?

I leaned closer to her nuzzling her breasts and sighed as she continued to stroke my hair. And then she touched my bruise and I couldn't help the hiss that escaped my mouth. "Ouch!" I whispered.

"Sorry, sorry… are you okay? Do you think you can walk? Do you want me to call your dad?" she asked me frantically.

"I'm fine, love. Just give me a minute to take my breath…" I whispered. _I'll take a breath alright._

I buried my face in her chest and took a few deep breaths…_ yes that's it. Oh God, her smell was heaven!_

She continued to stroke my hair as I continued to breathe her scent.

Moments later I looked up at her and saw her looking at me tenderly; I smiled at her and sighed, "Thank you, Edward. For taking the hit I mean… it was so sweet of you" she whispered against my forehead, kissing my bruise gently. I couldn't help the big sigh that escaped my lips… _Oh, Angel… I'll take the hit for you anytime if it gets you to hold me and kiss me like this!_

"We have to go. Alice is waiting for us at the entrance. Jazz is meeting her there…" I said standing up slowly.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked me anxiously, touching the bruise lightly with her fingers.

"yeah, I'm fine, love. Come now…" taking her hand and leading her through the corridors.

I saw my sister standing by the stroller smiling at her boyfriend who was kneeling in front of the stroller cooing to the baby.

When we were ten feet away, my girl froze mid-stride and stopped. I looked at her puzzled and she looked petrified staring at Jazz who was still cooing at the baby.

"JASPER!" she exclaimed.

And for the first time in my life, I saw Jasper shoot up and stare shell-shocked at my girl, "Bells!" he said, shocked.

_What the Fuck!_

**End Chapter Eight**

**AN: Ducks and run to hide under the cover! I know I know… sorry! So sorry I know I'm really mean, but you got that hot kiss and more glimpses of jealous, possessive and dominant Edward ;) What do you think of Jazz's entrance ;)… who wants more o' dat ;) *evil grin* R&R, please…**


	10. Chapter 9

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Jealous/Dom/Possessive Edward.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: to all of you my amazing readers… this is the longest chapter I have ever written, it's gonna have both POVs and some really good explanations from Jazz and Bella… some more Jealous and possessive Edward moments will emerge and there will be a really mean cliffy…**

**You guys are so amazing… I loved each and every one of those reviews you had left me and some of you were extra generous to leave review for each chapter (You are GREAT!) and I name…**

**Xfarahx, ange87, Elizabeth Moffettie, Rachael Elizabeth Cullen, SCSpidermonkey, patel205, MyriadProBold, xxxxParvati-Patilxxxx, Jasper winked, alwayswatchingtv, augustine4, kelseycjim, robsmom, SharkGurl, christine30974, nermalasu, Bananna18, sonyabrady1971, April2460, mamato, sweetkyo, cullengirl666, -CAUTION-dazzler, Hanzt21, isa90, lovelywendy, Soccer11, twihead22796, Kynicole, BellaCullenPR, luv4edwardcullen, Cydryna Marie, Isabela is Online, Mrs Muze, laceyndom, SweetHart2BME, Peachymom, ericastwilight, AdabellaCullen, Kimbercat98, miawmiaw, delutina, Shorty808, ncy555, beadel91, Kerry Hale, rockstgrl69, pixielovestoshop, NATwilight, blubuttrfly10, dazzlemebetch, babylopez2008, yankeerose, Jewels64, Jaspers-new wife, twilightfan303, Graciexlovesxyou, Mandav, Hope4more, Drama4Twilight, Jaguarsolaris, kuntrygal, magaliaa, jktwi, unicorngirl14, EdwardLovingMomma, Edward is my only love, Cullen-Pattinson, soccershadow3, mom2rka, beate73, AmaterasuSpiritWolf, In Awe Of Fire, JasmineMarie84, azotochtli, pippyXYZ, Tamii, MeetMeinMontauk, MandiLM14, faerie kitten****, Vanquish13, mommytwilight and JavaJunkieGurl**

**You are all AMAZING!**

**Also, I just want to make sure that you are reading the stories of my dearest friend (kuntrygal), check out her amazing story 'Taboo' and leave her some lovin' ;)**

**Warning! This chapter has inappropriate language and some hints of a limy situation, so consider this as a fair warning.**

**Faffi (xfarahx), you are so sweet… thanks for helping me out in this chapter.**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Nine**

**BPOV**

"JASPER!" I exclaimed.

I saw Jasper shoot up and stare shell-shocked at me, "Bells!" he said.

I couldn't move as Jasper and I stared at each other, I kept opening and closing my mouth trying to form words but to no avail.

Jasper was James' cousin whom had been living in Texas all his life. Tanya was Jasper's aunt and he used to spend the summers at her house with James and I. And it's been more than a year since the last time we saw him; 2 summer vacations to be exact… James had told me that Jasper and his family needed to move somewhere else, but he never said where!

Jasper knew of my relationship with James, he knew that we had tried to be more than just friends and couldn't. He heard about my mother being pregnant, but I'm not sure if he knew about what had happened lately.

Jasper shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts. He looked down at JC and then back at me, he gave me a big smile and then came to give me a big hug like he always did, "Bells? Oh my God! It's good to see you! What are you doing here?" he asked me still holding me to him.

I took a glance to the side and saw Edward's face red as a tomato; he was standing stiffly and looking at Jasper as if he was about to pounce and bite his head off. I looked at Alice and I saw that she had a confused look on her face. She was shifting her gaze between Jasper and me as if trying to determine how close we were.

Shit!

No, no… NO! This cannot be happening!

"Hey, Jasper. How you've been? I just moved here… umm, didn't you _know_ that?" I asked him trying to coax a subtle answer. Jasper always knew how to read people and this was the moment of truth. If anything was to come out in the wrong way, I would be kissing JC goodbye. _And that won't happen…_

Jasper let go of me and gave me a confused look. I'm sure he was expecting a more _'enthusiastic'_ response.I smiled at him, hoping to God that he would get the look on my face, "No one told me anything. I haven't been in the loop since I've moved here almost two years ago… so… umm… why are you here? Did your mom make peace with Charlie at last and you're here to visit?" he asked me confused.

_DAMN! The shit is going to hit the fan if I don't act fast._

"No, Jasper. My mom and Phil had an accident almost a couple of months ago and I have lost both of them…" saying those words and having Jasper near me got me all melancholy all of a sudden and I couldn't help the tears that started streaming down my face.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry, Bells. I'm so sorry. I didn't know that… shhh… shhh… it's all gonna be okay…" he trailed off holding me to him, as I started crying hiding my face in his chest. He kept rubbing my back trying to soothe my hurt and sadness.

I heard him saying a few words to Alice. After that, I heard Edward and Jasper exchange some words _in a rather harsh tone_ I looked up at Edward and saw him staring hard at Jasper. He looked at me for a second as if he was debating something in his head. I hid my face again in Jasper's chest and let him guide me to a nearby Café. He sat me down on one of the sofas and kept me close to him still stroking my hair softly. He waited for me to calm down and went to grab us drinks.

"Are you okay now, Bells? Would you like to talk about it? You know you can trust me… those last few exchanges between me and James… he only told me that your mom was pregnant and was expecting a baby… he said both your schools were really good. And that you might be going to an Ivy-League school… but here we are in Forks… of all the places to be… and you are here with my girlfriend and her _Don Juan of a brother_ and you are taking care of a baby!" he asked me in a frustrated tone waiting for me to answer. And I couldn't help but sigh. I looked a quick look out side the coffee shop and sure enough _Don Juan_ himself was standing near the entrance still throwing hard looks towards Jasper.

"Oh, Jasper. You don't know anything about what had happened then…" I said in a sad voice. I wiped my face and took a sip of my drink. I looked at him and could see that he was waiting for me to explain. I took a deep breath and told him everything; every once in awhile, I'd take a look outside to see Edward either pacing or looking at me worriedly. I explained what happened when I got the call… and in the hospital… what I'm planning to do for the adoption process… how Tanya and James had helped me through it all and even the loan that Tanya had given me, while I wait for the house to get sold… how I had to move to Charlie's house since I wasn't 18 yet.

I still haven't told him about what I had told everybody here. I need him to be my help and support in this ordeal.

"Jasper, I have a favour to ask?" I asked him in a small voice, "Sure, Bells. You know you can ask me anything!" he stated. _Well, here goes nothing…_

"I told Charlie and the whole lot here that JC is… um… _my_ child…" I asked him tentatively, gauging his reaction.

Jasper looked at me in confusion "I know he's like your kid, what did they expect that you are going to-", I cut him off; he wasn't getting the idea.

"No, Jasper. What I meant was… I told them that he was my _own child. My 'born' child-"_ I was cut off, "What! What the hell, bells!? Are you crazy!? What's gotten into you?! And James was okay with that… I'm gonna kick his ass! And how could Aunt Tanya be okay with this?! Don't they know you at all? What the hell are people going to think of you? They are going to think you are 'trash'? And you are not like that, Bells! You know… uh… oh… oh, God. No, oh God! Please, don't cry… I'm sorry I got angry. Please, don't cry… come here, honey." I was bawling my eyes out now. I didn't expect Jasper to get this angry. I hid my face in my hands and started crying again.

"WHAT THE HELL, WHITLOCK!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER!?" I head Edward roaring at Jasper. He yanked me from Jasper's grip and held me to his chest. I cried against his chest and I could hear that he was speaking cruelly to Jasper, but I couldn't make out exactly what it was.

I lifted my head and looked at Edward who was running his fingers through my hair while holding me to his chest, "What did he say, love? Did he offend you? Do you want me to kick his ass for you, huh? Shhh… shhh… tell me what you want me to do?" he whispered to me while placing soft kisses on my forehead. I looked to the side to see Jasper standing rigidly in his place looking stunned.

"I'm okay, Edward. I just remembered my mother… Jasper has done nothing. Really… I'm okay…" I tried to reassure him, sniffling a little. He eyed Jasper sceptically and looked back at me, "Are you sure, love? Do you want me to stay with you to-" I cut him off, "NO!" I all but yelled and I saw him jump in surprise.

"I mean… no, I'm fine. I just need a few more minutes to talk to Jasper and I'll be right there. Okay? I'll be right with you…" I assured him wiping my face with a tissue that Jasper handed to me.

"Only if you're sure…" he looked at me worriedly and rubbed my back for a few seconds before kissing my forehead and leaving me with Jasper, but not before giving Jasper a nasty look.

I looked up to see Jasper with the same stunned expression on his face, following Edward's departing form and then his eyes left Edward to look back at me.

"Bells… sorry for acting like an ass with you? I was taken by surprise. Tell me how do you need my help and you know I'll do whatever you need… but umm… what the hell is going on between you and _Casanova _here, can you tell me before I lose my mind?" he asked me with a strained tone. I released a long sigh.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything, but you need to listen and not interrupt… is that clear, Whitlock?!" I asked him bringing up a warning finger to his face.

"Sure, Bells." He said solemnly.

I began explaining my plan and what we (Tanya, James and I) had decided upon, "No one should know the truth, Jasper… at least, not yet. Everything is going smoothly. I don't want to risk losing JC; if anything goes wrong they will take JC from me. So, I need you to have my back. I know I can trust you. You and James are the only guys I trust with my life. James will be coming soon with the adoption papers after my 18th birthday. I just need you to keep this to yourself for a little while; can you do that for me, please?" I asked him in a low pleading voice.

Jasper knew that I would never ask for anything if it wasn't serious, "I already lost my mother, Jasper. I don't want to lose my brother, too. Especially now that it feels like he's really my son…" I was desperate. Jasper always had a 'Poker face'. His calm demeanour was something to behold, but at this moment I had wished that he could show any kind of response to what I have said.

"You can count on me, Bells. But…" he said with a smile and stopped abruptly once he saw me smiling. He raised his index finger in front of my face, "One condition. And you gotta trust me on this…" he asked vigilantly, "Name it." I said feeling strong all of a sudden.

"I gotta tell Alice. Uh uh… before you say anything, please hear me out… I can't do anything unless she's in. she has my back and I'm sure she'd be more than willing to have yours. She already senses that there is something off. And believe me you'd want her on your side. She'd never tell your secret to anyone. If you have faith in me… you need to have faith in her, too… what do you say, Bells?" he asked me shifting in his seat, I looked up and I saw that Edward was looking at us from afar trying to figure out if he should be interfering or not.

"Done. But if I hear a whisper of someone even hinting of my situation, it's gonna be your neck, Jasper. I'm sure James won't be against beating the crap out of you and you know that he's stronger than you…" I threatened. I needed to make sure that nothing goes wrong.

"Deal." He extended his hand for me to shake on it and I grabbed it and shook it. I smiled at him, "Thank you, Jasper… you have no idea how relieved I feel." And it was true, this was the first time that I felt safe since I have arrived at Forks.

"So… What's the deal with _Sir fucks-a-lot_? How come he's acting all 'sweet' towards you? Does he know?" he asked nonchalantly, sipping his drink after taking a quick glance at what looked like a 'very-stressed' Edward. He was leaning against the wall opposite our coffee shop; he was pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger and he looked like he was muttering something.

"Beats me… he's just acting weird and no he doesn't know anything about my 'situation'." I said in a guarded tone and started telling Jasper about what happened with Edward since the beginning, omitting the 'dinner table scene', "Wow! Well the first bit, you first told me about, fits _Fuck-ward's_ profile perfectly… but that last bit you told me… since your ride this morning… are you sure you are talking about the same _Jerk-ward_… the one standing over there…" he said nodding his head towards a seething Edward, who was shooting daggers at him and continued, "… looking like he's gonna attack and have my head on a platter… Are you sure Bella? Maybe you're hallucinating? Maybe you're imagining things? I don't think he's capable of holding such emotions…" he looked at me with both anger and worry. He teased me, touching my forehead with his palm as if trying to decide if I have a fever.

"Jasper! You can ask Alice… she's _heard_ _it all_…" I said swatting his hand off my forehead, "What do you mean '_she's_ _heard it all'_? What did _Fork-Tongue_ say to you? Please, tell me he didn't hit on you and you fell for it? Oh, Bells, you are smarter than to be with the likes of him… come on! You are way better than him!" Jasper rarely showed aggression, but the look on his face now, was of someone about to commit murder.

"No, Jasper… nothing like that, well maybe at first… but now it's quite the opposite. He's been taking care of me. He's even calling me "love" and I doubt that he even realizes it…" I trailed off giggling like a silly school-girl. Jasper's astonished expression made me burst out in laughter.

I looked at Edward and saw that he was running his fingers through his messy hair, making it messier and looked like he was taking calming breaths.

"Bells, I know you are a smart girl and all. But I need you to be careful… Edward is a… _complicated_ case… I know that deep inside he has a heart of gold… like Alice always says. But he was through a really bad breakup that had caused him to go haywire. He's been screwing anything with a skirt left and right… only a few good ones have escaped him. I know his mom and dad were on to him… and I'm afraid to say that they were just bracing themselves for whatever 'bad situation' was to arise… they could have handled this better than this… but it looked like they've been waiting for something to change him back…

"And from what you have just told me, that he lost his car for what he had said to you… well, this tells me that they are now taking the action that they should have taken long ago." He took a deep breath and glanced quickly at Edward who was now pacing.

"Bella… Edward _is_ bad news. You really need to be careful. He might have his heart in the right place, but usually he has problems reacting to bad situations… and in this case… being dumped. I hadn't known him that long, since I have only been here for one school year. But from what Alice had told me, he was a really good guy until his girlfriend dumped him, saying that 'this doesn't feel right' and she wants to try 'other options'. Let's just say that he took it really bad. He hasn't been able to trust a girl and he's been sleeping around. And I'm sure his last trip to California wasn't a _platonic_ visit, either. So, just be careful…" Jasper finished off standing up and not giving me a chance answer.

He helped me out of the coffee shop to the pacing Edward. He stopped pacing and approached me quickly "Are you okay? How are you feeling?" he asked me worriedly and I looked at Jasper who had his mouth agape, which for Jasper who was the 'master of Poker face' was saying something.

"She's fine, Cullen. It's not like I was gonna hurt her or anything! Jeez! She's been my friend longer than I have known you. Chill, man!" Jasper said, giving me a wink and then made his way to Alice who was waving her hand at him 3 shops away.

Edward eyed him apprehensively and asked me again, "Are you sure you're okay, love… if you want I can take you home… I'm sure Alice can get a ride with Jasper." He was holding my hand and rubbing soothing circles on its back.

"Edward, I'm fine. Really… I told you, it just was a moment of sadness. I mean… my mother and Phil haven't been gone that long and it's all still fresh in my head. Seeing Jasper, was really a breath of fresh air… I trusted him and Jam-… uh… I trusted him with my life then. And I trust him with my life, still. He's always someone I can count on and confide my secrets to, knowing he's not gonna ask for anything in return. He was, is and always will be my rock…" I spoke softly, while my eyes followed Jasper's departing form reach Alice and JC.

I looked at Edward who was staring at me looking sick, his face was so pale that I thought he was gonna pass out, "Were you… I mean… _are_ you _in love _with him?" he asked me apprehensively, almost out of breath.

Shit!

No!

"NO!" I bellowed at him, shaking my head furiously. I was disgusted with the idea. He's like my brother, for heaven's sake! Does everything between a boy and a girl have to be _intimate!_ Jeez!

"God,_ Penny-head_! Only you would think something disgusting of this situation…" I said fuming at him, noting how his face had relaxed instantly and was looking a bit smug. Deciding to erase that smug smile off his face, I continued,

"… Not that Jasper is not handsome, mind you. He's gorgeous." I said that last part batting my eyelashes at him, seeing the smile being wiped off his face only to be replaced with a scowl.

"But, we've never been into anything like this… he's like a brother that I have never had. He always had my back. As I said, I would trust him with my life. Never ever say anything like that again. I've _never_ _slept_ _around_ and I don't intend to start doing it now!" I said viciously, poking him harshly with my index finger.

How could he even _think_ that I'm like that! How could he?! He was looking at me weirdly; he had two expressions clouding his face. The first was thoughtful, almost meditative. And the second was as if he was waiting for me to complete my sentence or say something more.

He then, narrowed his eyes at me, "Love… if you have '_never… slept… around'_… how did you have _JC_?" he spoke softly and pointedly.

Shit!

*******************************

(AN: you know I was really tempted to leave it here… but then I thought that I would get death threats and I didn't want that… and so I continue…)

*******************************

Quickly… _Damage Control!_

"Of course JC is my SON! You moron! What I meant was… uhhh… I never slept with '_guys' emphasis on the 's', _here. I was only involved with _one_ guy." I said quickly trying to rectify what my big mouth had done.

His was still narrowing his eyes at me, "JC's father was special." I continued.

He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it quickly. He seemed to be put down by the parade I was doing, "He was the man who helped me be the person I am today… and for that I'll be eternally grateful" I said solemnly. And I had meant every word.

"Did you uh… _love_ him… love him? Not that you didn't love him at all… I mean do you think that JC's father… was… um, _the love of your life_?" he asked me sadly, whispering the last words.

"As I said before, JC's father was special. And I hope JC grows up to be _just like his dad…"_ I said with a serious tone, but he cut me off.

"But was he the love of your life!?" he asked me in a frustrated tone.

"I won't lie to you, Edward. I loved JC's dad and I don't regret having JC with me…" I looked at his face and it was so pale that I was about to pass out of fright of what might happen to him. So, I thought I'd go for the truth for once.

"But… no… he was _not_ the love of my life. And he wouldn't have been my choice, if I was given a second chance of choosing."

The smile that lit Edward's face was so amazing that it left me breathless. He looked like he was about to jump from joy! _Huh?!_

He straitened his back and looked around him as if trying to realize where we were. Which was good, because right now… _I was in LA LA Land._

"Come on, love. We need to catch up with Jasper and Alice" with that he dashed pulling me behind him.

I looked in the shop where I saw Alice standing a few minutes ago and found her standing with Jasper with a stunned expression on her face. I knew right away that Jasper had 'spilt the beans'. I pulled on Edward's hand and he looked at me questioningly.

"What is it? You need anything?" he asked me.

Shit!

I hadn't thought of what I wanted to say to him.

"Um, I just remembered that I needed a few things for myself from the body shop, would you come with me?" I asked him sweetly.

He smiled widely at me, "certainly, love. Let's go."

With that we made our way to the shop. I took my time browsing around, hoping that by the time I'm done, Alice would be out of her shock.

I saw Edward looking around sniffing products here and there. I grabbed the usual bottles that I use and headed towards him. He came grinning at me, "Are you done? Anything else you need?"

"No, I'm all set." I said making my way to the cash register and putting my things on the conveyer belt.

The guy working at the cash register was taking his sweet time running each product on the scanner, all the while staring like an idiot at me trying to make small talk. I could see Edward's stiff body beside me glaring daggers at the kid.

"Eyes down and behave, _boy…"_ Edward in a strained voice, but the stupid kid who was trying to play cool winked at me.

"That would be fifty Dollars, _sugar"_ he said with a sickly _trying-to-be-sexy­ _smile. _Ewwwe!_

No, _seriously!_

And then I saw Edward reach for the poor kid over the conveyer belt and fist the kid's collar in his hands, "I said… _behave…"_ he said in a threatening voice… _Oh my God… he's gonna beat the crap out of him._

"I changed my mind. I don't want the stuff any more…" with that I snatched one of Edward's hands dragging him outside the shop.

"Damn it, Edward! He's a stupid kid! What the hell did you think you're doing?!" I spoke harshly but was met with a glare.

"That stupid _boy _was flirting with you _openly_ and with me standing right there! What?! Am I invisible or something? Can't I pass as your boyfriend? I wasn't about to leave him-" I wasn't having any more of that so I cut him off,

"Edward! The kid didn't flirt; he just smiled a stupid smile and as you can see… I'm not swooning or anything! What's the matter with you? Do you want me to cancel our deal?!" I threatened; I knew I had him there, because his eyes went wide with alarm.

"No! It's not fair! I didn't act like an ass towards you. I was protecting you. That guy had the audacity to give you the looks and I'm sure he expected you to…" he trailed off. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath running his fingers through his hair.

"Just… please, trust me, love. You don't have any idea of the dirty thoughts running in this idiot's mind… trust me… _I'd know"_ he whispered the last part. I saw him close his eyes again taking another deep breath. I knew he was thinking of what he has been doing with all the girls.

"It's okay, Edward… I trust you. I know you mean well… just, please, for my sake… can you be a bit more _subtle_ about it? I'd hate to see that handsome face all bruised because a lost case wants to try their way with me…" I finished off with a wink and sure enough earned myself a breathtaking crooked grin.

"Okay, love. You sure know how to convince your man. Let's go find Ali-baba and her _thief_…" he was smiling during the whole time he talked except when he referred to _Jasper_. Oh, God… I just hope that he's not jealous of him or anything.

We made our way to the shop where we had left Alice and Jasper, but they weren't there. I saw Edward reach for his phone and dial Alice's number.

"Ali, where are you?" he asked looking around.

"Aha… yeah… 2 shops down and then to the left. Okay… we'll be right there…" he flipped his phone shut, grabbed my hand and dragged me behind him.

********************************************************

**EPOV**

This has been one hellish day!

The whole 'Jasper' thing got me edgy and all; And the thought of getting myself a dog was making more and more sense by the minute…

_Why you ask me?_

Maybe because since '_Jasper the friendly ghost_' made an appearance, he's been acting all weird and _'owning'_ towards _my Bella_… and I couldn't have the shit! I would like nothing more than to bite his head off his body and then toss the remains to the dog I'm planning to get… _see, getting a dog is a really good idea!_

He knew her before me.

He almost had her before me… but who knows… maybe he really _had _her before me and this whole thing was a cover up…

He might be JC's dad!

SHIT!

What says he's not?!

His initial is 'J'… hmm… but what about that _James_ whom she was mumbling his name while she slept… maybe that James was the father… I really hope it's the truth…

_But again,_ JC has blue eyes and I can see that he has blond hair… just like Jasper. The theory that Jasper was his dad is becoming more and more pronounced… I really need to get it loud and clear from him… especially that Bella had told me that she loved the father…

FUCK!

It's really getting hard to refute that theory.

This day many words have been redefined…_ allow me to elaborate_

When I saw her crying against Jasper with him trying to comfort her… the word 'Possessive' was redefined. Because I was the one who should have been holding her and comforting her, because she was mine! I should have been the only man who would know her deepest secrets; her secrets are my secrets… hell! I knew that her parents' death had affected her. But why hadn't she opened up to me? Why did she go to _him?!_

_Because you were a jerk to her from the beginning… ah, okay. Thank you for the explanation!_

And when he was talking to her at the coffee shop and had her cry… the word 'pissed' was redefined. I wanted to go there snatch him from there and pound my fists into his face, giving him a nice 'Picasso' canvas that would make Alice proud…_ sorta…_

And the last word that got redefined was "Jealous". When I saw Jasper wink at her… I wanted to replace his baby-blues with buttons to go with the 'Picasso' canvas I was planning on giving to Alice on her next birthday… and the way that she talked about the guy who had given her JC… my most desire at that moment was to be able to turn back time, so that I'd be the one giving her the baby she wants… hell, I'll give her all the babies she'd ever want!

Fuck! What's wrong with me… I've never had such thoughts about girls before…

_But Bella is not a girl; she's the woman that was created specially for me._

In the few hours I have known her… I have experienced all kinds of emotions that I never knew existed… that prang I felt in my heart when I saw her with Jasper… when I saw Mike trying to make a pass at her… when I spoke up to those stupid dogs in the men's room… and that guy at the register… Hell! Even when I saw JC for the first time suckling on the swell of her breast… the tug I felt at my heart… was something alien to me…

I need to make sure I play this the right way… I was thankful that she is giving me the chance… I really hope that I don't ruin it…

But apparently… _fate_ had other ideas…

I was making my way to where Alice had instructed me with Bella trailing behind me, when I saw the shop where Alice was…

_Victoria Secret_

_FUCKING SHIT!_

SHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT! Now, I'm gonna have to see Bella around all these sexy outfits and imagining her in them… _Oh, God… please help me…_

We entered the shop and I saw Bella run to meet Jasper who was pushing the stroller. Bella bent down, giving me a nice view of her fine shaped butt, to check on JC who was still asleep. Then I saw her exchange a few hushed words with Jasper before I reached them.

"Bella! Here you are… come here I want you to see these few items… they are on sale." Alice called from somewhere in the shop. I looked at Jasper and saw him gesturing for Bella with his head to go to Alice.

"Don't worry, Bells. I have your back… all will be okay. I promise" he spoke softly. I saw Bella make her way to one of the corners where I assumed my pixie sister was standing.

I looked beside me and saw Jasper giving me a cagey look. I retuned it with a glare of my own.

"Don't think, just because you are acting all tender and friendly, that I'm not on to you… I admit that I haven't seen you act this way before. But, Bells is off limit, man. I would beat you to death and then parade your rotten dead body if you harm her in any way. Bells is a sensitive soul. She is one of a kind. She puts the others before her. She doesn't take bullshit from anyone and she _shouldn't.._. She takes pride in her grades and who she is. And for some reason… she's willing to give you a chance, Cullen.

"If it was up to me, I wouldn't even _let_ her near you, but then again, it's her choice. So… _hear this_, if there is the faintest hint of you treating her the wrong way, harming her or even disrespecting her in any way, make her feel inferior or any of that shit… you'll answer to _me_… and you really don't want get on my bad side…" he finished his sentence in his usual calm demeanour, he was talking to me as if he was discussing the weather which really bugged me.

First, he was acting like he knew me, then he wants to protect _my girl_ from me! Was he crazy?! And then he dared to threaten me! My hand clenched into fists. The idea of pounding the life out of him was becoming more and more inviting. But before I do that… I needed to get the thought of Jasper being JC's dad out of the way…

"_Jasper_, I don't have to take the shit you just said, but I'll let it pass this time. There is no way in hell that I would harm _my Bella._ Also, I need you to know that she's my responsibility now and you have no say in it. She's giving me the chance and I'm not wasting it. And I want you off her case. I want you to forget about her. You already have Alice. So leave Bella to me. I already know that she's different. I already know that she's sweet and she puts others before her. I know that. There are a few things about her that I'd like to know. But eventually, I'll know her more than myself." I said as calmly as I could manage. I already was fuming. But I still needed to hear from _him_ that he's _not_ JC's dad.

"Just one question… Are _you_ JC's father?" I asked him, bracing myself for the answer. He looked at me surprised and then a slow smile started making its way to his lips. And then out of the blue he started laughing. _He was laughing at me!? Moron!_

"What the hell are you laughing about, asshat! I asked you a legitimate question! And I want the answer. NOW!" I was so pissed, I can't believe he was laughing at me.

"Jerkward, are you kidding me? Has the jealousy really made you that blind?! You have the answer to that question! It's obvious…" he was still talking and chuckling.

"You still haven't answered me, Peter Pan… so just spit it out… are you?" I swear if he avoids the answer again, I'm gonna make him regret the day he came to know me.

"Of course, I'm not, you stupid idiot! I have been by Alice's side for almost 2 years! How can I be the baby if I wasn't even physically there! Also, Bells is like my baby sister! You stupid fuck! I can't believe you actually asked that question!" Jasper had always been calm, but the anger manifesting on his face scared the shit out of me. And I don't get scared easily.

"But just for the record… it would have been an honour to have a girl like Bella, have my son…" he said defiantly. I glared at him. Of course he had been absolutely right. It would be an honour to any guy to have a girl like Bella give him a child…

Fuck! How could I have missed this?

I really was blind when it came to my girl. The thought that she could be connected in any way with anyone but me, was making me crazy!

"Sorry, man. I don't know what I was thinking. I just… shit…" I trailed off taking a deep breath and pinching the bridge of my nose.

"I just can't imagine that she's been with other guys. From the first time I saw her, when she spoke to me… even when it was to bash at me… it's just… I know she's different, Jasper. But the idea that she had a baby with another guy is making me crazy. I don't want to miss out on this…" I was sprawling trying to make sense at least to myself but it was futile.

Jasper was looking at me strangely. And then he spoke, "Edward, let me give you this piece of advice… I have known you for as long as I have known Alice. And I have seen how you act towards girls and this is not acceptable, I know that you had a bad experience… but still that didn't give you the excuse to treat all women the way you did… they are not all the same. And it's not like she had cheated on you or anything… she was honest enough to say that she wanted to try and see other people… she could have cheated on you… she could have misled you in so many ways…

"But she did the right thing. As for Bella, I have noticed how you are reacting to her. And I must say it's an improvement. You have a good heart Edward, if you pair it with that brains of yours… you can have something that you will treasure for the rest of your life. I don't know if what I am saying makes sense, but Edward. Know this… if you ever need advice… you know where to find me…" he finished with a small smile.

Shit! Now I was feeling bad.

Not bad because of mentioning my ex-girlfriend, but bad because Jasper had actually cared enough to notice and dispense a piece of advice that wasn't half-assed. This is the first time I heard Jasper mention my _ex… Victoria_; ever since our break up… I admit that I hadn't regarded the female species in the same way…

I hadn't known that Alice had spilled the beans to Jasper. But right now. I couldn't be more grateful.

"Thank you, Jazz."

"Um… since we are having a good moment… here's another piece of advice. Brace yourself for what's coming…" he trailed off with a smile looking behind me at the approaching figures of my sister and my Bella. They were standing by one of the baby doll stands which had a discount tag on it.

Alice was holding a few outfits with her and looked like she's trying to talk my Bella into buying more.

"Bella, you are getting all of those outfits… the question is… in which colours you get them… I'm leaning towards the red… I think some of them would be amazing in black… but this one… you need to get in _dark blue…_ there you go, honey… go try it on. And call me when you're done there is one more outfit I'd like you to try…"

"Alice I don't need these outfits. I'm not gonna wear them. I don't have anyone to wear them for… remember I don't have a boyfriend-" my Bella was cut off by my pixie.

"Yet! You don't have an official boyfriend _yet_, Bella. A mistake soon to be rectified…" she smiled devilishly at Bella, while giving me a sideway glances. _Good, Pixie… at least you're getting my drift…_

"Don't forget there is Mike waiting for you there…" she trailed off with an evil grin.

_What the hell! Back off, Pixie! Not happening…_

"Hey! What the hell, Pixie. That guy-Barbie is not coming near her. Period!" I finished off taking a few calming breaths. Bella looked upset and I didn't want lose more points by getting pissed.

"Edward! He's a sweet guy. He didn't do anything wrong." Pixie whined.

_Note-to-self: Trim Pixie tongue. If more is said, CUT-OFF Pixie tongue!_

"No, Ali. Edward is right. That guy has something fishy going on. I don't like him being near any of you." Jasper said quietly, looking pointedly at Bella.

_Huh… as if I'd let her near that Barbie-Ken…_

Bella looked at me as if she was going to argue… _huh, I didn't know I was allowing that…_

I gave her a hard stare shaking my head slightly, showing her that it was no more up for discussions.

She beckoned me with her index finger to go to her and I complied.

"Are you telling me what to do, Edward?" she asked me sweetly. I knew she had something on her mind, since she had an evil glint in her eyes.

"Love, can you let me be the brains in this, this time? I promise, you won't regret it…" I spoke softly tucking one of her loose locks behind her ear.

She tapped her chin a minute and her eyes brightened, "Sure, Edward… but while you are at it. Can you help me with some thing else, too?" she asked me batting her eyelashes at me.

"Sure, love. What do you need?" I asked her, I was happy that she trusted me.

"Which colour do you think I should get?" she held 2 outfits up. Both lacy… one of them was black and the other was dark blue. And even though both of them were in front of my face, my brains couldn't process anything at the moment. Not even a coherent word…

All the blood that was supposed to be flooding my brain cells was now gathered flooding my now raging erection. _Shit…_

"What do you think, Edward? What do you prefer?" she spoke as if she was talking to a child. And I still couldn't answer. All the dirty thoughts were again gathering in my head and my eyes glazed over…

_Day Dream…_

_Bella clad in her dark blue baby doll, the outfit was too tight on her that her breasts are almost spilling out of the cups. Her skin was glowing and her hair was down her back in curls. She was making her way to me and then she stood in front of me._

_She put one of her hands on my chest, nearing her face to mine, caressing me with her small nose and brushing her lips against my cheeks, nose and finally lips. And suddenly stopped…_

"_What do you prefer? This?..." she asked me rubbing her other hand against the stiffness in my pants causing my breath to hitch… "… or this?..." she pressed her chest against mine, taking my hand in her other hand and pushing it to her spilling breasts._

"_What do you prefer, Edward?"_

_End Day Dream…_

"HELLO! Edward? Where did your thoughts go, man? You look a bit flushed? Are you okay?" Jasper was chuckling.

"Huh? Where is Bella?!" I shook my head and glance around me. _That little minx! I can't believe she did that!_

"Oh, man. You should have seen the look on your face… Bella is really smart, Edward. Don't tell her shit like you're the brains or shit, because she's gonna _fry you_. And what you have seen now is the just the tip of the iceberg…" he said patting my back.

Hmm… it's good to know… not that I didn't get it before, especially after that dinner scene…

I took a few calming breaths and saw the girls making their way to the register.

Once all the purchases were done we continued our shopping and it was time to hit the road.

"Let me give JC his bottle and give him a change before we leave. I'll be out in a few…" my girl took the stroller and went to the room to take care of her business. I stood there staring at the bathroom door like a lost puppy.

I looked at Jasper and Alice and saw them looking at me and then burst out laughing.

_What?_

"Oh, man… you've got it bad…" Jasper said smiling after his fit of laughter.

"Listen, it's been a long day… I'll take Alice with me. We are going to dinner. Can you take care of Bella?" Jasper was trying to get himself killed I'm sure. What kind of question is that!

"Of course, asshat! Who else is going to take care of her!? What kind of stupid question is that!?" I was boiling. It's already been a crazy day… I don't need this shit!

"Just checking, man. Chill!" with that he and Alice made there way out, leaving the shopping bags with me.

I decided to go put all our things in Bella's car in order to help her with JC when she's out. I went back and saw her making her way to the entrance pushing JC's stroller.

She gave me a smile and I couldn't help but return it.

Once everything was set in the car, we got in and drove off.

We opted on playing a game of 20 questions which had turned out in the end to… _120_ questions… we talked about everything and nothing. So many "me too" were exchanged, along with "yeah that's one of my favourites" and "of course I like it, who doesn't"…

It was one of the most satisfying trips I have ever had. It was like rediscovering myself.

Once we were there… I helped her get everything into the house and promising to help her with any of the furniture if she needed to. I got the chance to see her bedroom, it was like I imagined it would be… she instructed me to leave everything downstairs so I don't hurt my back carrying all the stuff, but I just rolled my eyes at her and got everything up stairs…

I placed the last bag of clothes on her bed and made my way to her window. I noticed that her window was opposite mine, with only a tree between us, I smiled. That's good to know… _Mission 'Bug Bella's Bedroom' was already in motion… well maybe not bugging as much as haunting…_

I made my way downstairs and saw that she had already started on dinner, "Do you need anything else, love?"

"Um, no thank you, Edward. You have been a great help. Thank you for sticking with us today… it was um… kinda fun." She finished smiling at me.

"That, it was. Let me give you my phone in case you need anything." I quickly grabbed her cell and typed my phone in there.

"Thank you." She said blushing, taking her phone and dialling my number. Once it buzzed I rejected her call and saved her number.

"Well, I'll head home now. My mom should be waiting with dinner…" I trailed off making my way to the door.

"Um… no wait, Edward… would you like to- AAAH!" she yelped as she slipped on some spilled water and fell to the floor.

"Oh my God! Bella, are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?" I asked her frantically kneeling beside her and holding her by the shoulders to help her up.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!?" a furious voice yelled from the door. I turned my head to see a fuming Chief Swan standing at the door with his fingers reaching for his holster.

_Fuck!_

_I'm dead meat!_

**End Chapter Nine**

**AN: Please don't shoot me… sorry! So sorry I know… please don't hate me… What do you think of Jazz everyone… who wants more o' dat ;) *evil grin* R&R, please…**


	11. Chapter 10

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Jealous/Dom/Possessive Edward.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: to all of you my amazing readers… this is the longest chapter I have ever written, it's gonna be in EPOVs because I know you love him like I do… some more Jealous and possessive Edward moments will emerge and there will be, yet again, a really mean cliffy…**

**You guys are so amazing… I loved each and every one of those reviews you had left me and some of you were extra generous to leave review for each chapter (You are GREAT!) and I name…**

**Xfarahx, ****twloha14, chikimonki, Unfeigned, ange87, SCSpidermonkey, waiting for , xxxxParvati-Patilxxxx, Jasper winked, alwayswatchingtv, yankeerose, CougarKat1113, augustine4, SharkGurl, christine30974, JavaJunkieGurl, nermalasu, FrenzzyforEdward, peacewithinchaos, April2460, mamato, Green eyes 72, Darkangel0470, -CAUTION-dazzler, pixietwilighterforever, LindseyRae, Soccer11, BellaCullenPR, luv4edwardcullen, Cydryna Marie, trustme83, Mrs Muze, SweetHart2BME, twihead22796, Peachymom, pillow912, jayc3218, MyriadProBold, sonyabrady1971, Kimbercat98, delutina, beadel91, Hello Apple, Kerry Hale, rockstgrl69, pixielovestoshop, Lies2me, Breath-of-twilight, Jaguarsolaris, babylopez2008, Jaspers-new wife, twilightfan303, Mandav, Hope4more, Drama4Twilight, kuntrygal, jktwi, Litany Gone, blubuttrfly10, EdwardLovingMomma, Mrs. Cullen-Pattinson, soccershadow3, pippyXYZ, mikabaird, beate73, AmaterasuSpiritWolf, In Awe Of Fire, JasmineMarie84, MeetMeinMontauk, Via, faerie kitten, Vanquish13, mommytwilight and acw1**

**You are all AMAZING!**

**Also, I just want to make sure that you are reading the stories of my dearest friend (kuntrygal), check out her amazing story 'Taboo' and leave her some lovin' ;)**

**Warning! This chapter has inappropriate language and some hints of a limy situation, so consider this as a fair warning.**

**Faffi (xfarahx), you are so sweet… thanks for helping me out in this chapter.**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Ten**

**EPOV**

"Eddie! Get your cute butt down here! We're going to be late! Your hair won't get all nice and tidy… so, quit trying!" Emmett's voice boomed from downstairs.

"I'll be right there, Damn it! I'm already set!" I howled at my stupid brother.

"EDWARD!" cue mom yelling.

"Sorry, mom!" I screamed my apology making my way downstairs and straight into the kitchen.

"See, I'm ready. I'm just gonna grab some coffee and we're off. But I'm gonna be driving Bella's Volvo… so, why the hell were you calling me, you _thick-headed idiot_?!" I asked him irritably.

_Seriously! Sometimes, I swear, with all the brains that my brother has, he's still a keen airhead…_

"Well… I got football try-outs… so, I thought I'd better start with some vocal rehearsals a bit early. And what's bugging you anyway. I thought you got your fill of beauty sleep. Here, catch this!" Thick head joked, throwing me a cup from across the table.

Barely catching it, "Emmett! This isn't a football field. If I hadn't caught this, it could have hit someone!" I scolded. _Dumb ass!_

And no, I had neither my beauty sleep nor my much needed sleep. I'd barely closed my eyes at all!

_Who knew that a baby a bit over a month old had all this 'energy' in him… energy all dedicated to crying his eyes out!_

Since last week's encounter with the Chief of Mischief; I mean _Chief of Police_. I wouldn't even dare step into that house alone. Because… after Bella graciously and swiftly defused the bomb that was about to explode, almost in a literal sense, it was _subtly_ hinted 'not to visit Bella _unescorted'_.

I have been calling Bella to make sure that she doesn't need anything. But didn't go for a visit unless escorted with either Alice or mom… _pathetic, isn't it…_

And speaking of Alice… she seemed to get quite close with Bella. And she always seemed to be eyeing me as if trying to figure something out about me…

Rose, Emmett's girlfriend, had made an appearance and met Bella… she seemed to love her, especially after she knew about the encounters we both made, _courtesy of Alice, of course…_

Who knew that the cold hearted bitch would melt at the sight of a baby! Maybe that trip she took to the Bahamas had melted some of the ice that coated her heart. And she actually held JC and fed him. But she didn't know how to do it properly… I kept telling her to support the baby's head and JC didn't like her… I could tell because he kept whimpering every time she held him… _that's my boy._

Bella came only once to visit; and that was when JC wouldn't stop crying, she was afraid that there was something wrong with him. But dad assured her that it's all normal.

The "Bug Bella's Bedroom" Mission was _temporarily_ suspended. I still needed to know who the hell she was talking to at night and sometimes crying to over the phone… I thought maybe when I get my car back… I'd pay a visit to the gadget shop. It wasn't that far between our rooms… I'm sure I can get something efficient and cheap. _I was that sick of a bastard!_

First I thought it was Jasper… but a couple of nights ago, when Jasper spent the night at our home… I noticed that she had a call and he wasn't using his phone… _it must have been that "James" character._

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I thought that I would need to mark my territory _again_… for every time I had seen her this week, when I visited, or seen her through the window… I felt her getting more and more distant. And I'm not talking physical distance here… but '_thoughts'_ wise…

She had this far look in her eyes as if she was waiting for someone to come… or something to happen. I could tell that she was withholding something from me. And I'll be damned if I didn't know what it was _soon_.

I hated being left in the dark. I know how to read people like open books. But when it comes to Bella… the mystery she was swirling herself in got me all dazed. She was wrapped in her big cave that held all the secrets and I was determined to _'open her sesame'…_

I made my way to Bella's house after finishing my rather quick breakfast and knocked on her door.

The door opened revealing an exhausted looking Bella along with a sleeping JC. She was wearing a simple v-neck dark green blouse and black jeans. _Simple yet elegant… yup, this is my girl._

"Good morning. How is JC now?" I asked in hushed voice not to wake him up. I leaned closer to him stroking his soft hair.

"He's better now, thank God… I just hope that he's gonna be okay for the day. I'm gonna leave my cell number with the Day-care worker, so she can call me if needed. But I'm really afraid of leaving him like this… Um… do you think I should just skip today's classes and just be with him?" she asked me worriedly as we made our way to her car; I was carrying JC's stuff and she was carrying JC.

After setting our stuff in the car, I started the car and drove off.

"Love, I don't think that it's practical to skip school every time JC has a 'bad gas case'… Dad told you that he's okay… and that it was normal…" I tried to reassure her.

"But he was crying so hard… you haven't heard hi-"

"Oh, I heard him _alright_… I could barely close my eyes… don't forget our windows are so close and you had your window cracked open…" I couldn't help but sound a bit bitter… and I know I sounded like a PMSing airhead whining about her beauty sleep… _shit, Emmett was right!_

"Sorry, Edward… I didn't know that you heard all the crying… I won't leave the window open again… if he's crying I mean…" she sounded remorseful.

"Don't worry about it, love. I just wish I was there to help you with JC. I know you didn't get much sleep these last few nights. Maybe you can come to our house today. I can watch him while you take a nap to rest… what do you think?" I asked her hoping that she would be fine with it.

"Sounds good. I'm sure a quick nap would be amazing…" she finished her sentence yawning.

We had been really busy those past few days… dropping her papers and recommendations at school and finding JC's new Day-Care Centre. I was so happy when the principle was impressed with her background… apparently he spoke to her principle back in Arizona and everything was set for her. She would be resuming her role as a mathlete… even though it's gonna be on the slow side.

He even gave her passes to go visit her son during the day when her schedule was light and during lunch…

We got to the Day-Care Centre and once JC was all set, Bella gave the worker, a Mrs. Clearwater, her number to call her in case of an emergency… and I noticed how nervous she was. She kept stroking JC's hair after putting him in his basinet and she kept telling the poor worker how to clean the bottles or make a refill for his meals…

Mrs. Clearwater looked like she was older than my mother; she had dark skin with black hair and eyes.

I thought I should intervene before the woman kicked her out, "Love, you are driving the woman crazy. She already knows how to handle babies… it's her job" I told her in a quiet voice grabbing her by her waist and leading her outside.

"Um… okay. Mrs. Clearwater, I'm sorry to sound persistent, but this is the first time I'm gonna be leaving my son for such long hours. You have my number. If he keeps crying, please don't hesitate to call. Sorry again. I'll leave now." She looked like she was about to cry.

"Honey, don't worry about him. I took care of so many kids at the reservation. And I have my own kids… your son is in safe hands… I'll call you, if needed. Now hurry up or you'll be late for school…" she ushered us outside and closed the door behind us.

Bella looked behind her at the Day-Care with a look of pure devastation.

"God, I can't do this… I can't leave him here. He needs me…" she spoke softly, with a shaky voice.

"Love, he's gonna be okay. We are only a couple of minutes drive away from here… we can reach them quickly and anytime you want… if you want we can visit him at lunch time? How does that sound?" I got her in the car and saw her smiling at my offer. I got quickly in the car and drove off.

"Yes. That would be great. Thanks, Edward. Although I don't want to take much of your time. I'll come here alone. It was nice of you to drive us in the morning… and I doubt that the principle will be giving you passes to go with me… it's my kid, remember?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. I'll take care of it…" I know now where I have to go.

I parked in the farthest spot of the parking lot and went to open Bella's door… everything seems to be going well with Bella's life right now, even if she wasn't admitting it… For her everything was perfect!

For me, though… I could tell that it was going to be far from it…

_Why?_

Because with the looks the guys were giving _my Bella…_ it was as if the female gender had gone extinct and I was holding the last female to walk this earth… _some action was in order!_

"Crawly… the way you are looking at Bella does not compliment your eyes…"

_Translation… you look at her like that again and your cross-eyed eyeballs will be removed from their sockets!_

"Yurkie… that's such a nice T-shirt, it would be a loss to ruin it with drool…"

_Translation… if you don't stop drooling over her, your blood will be ruining that stupid T-shirt of yours!_

The girls were sending me kisses from afar and waving their hands to grab my attention. But it was all moot point; nothing was ever gonna grab my attention with Bella by my side.

"Is this the new girl?" one of the guys asked.

_Wow, we have a case of Sherlock Holmes in the making…_

"She's beautiful…" he commented.

_No shit, Sherlock._

"What the hell is she doing with Cullen?!" another one sneered.

_She's protecting you from being castrated._

"I think someone should warn her…" said the last one we passed by.

_I think someone should choke you with your own forked tongue._

"Make way, guys… nothing to see here..." I seethed as I made my way with the Bella who was walking stiffly near me to the office. I held her by the waist as we made our way to grab her schedule. I knew she heard all what they said and I knew she saw how the stupid girls were trying to catch my attention. I have to tell her about my past before she hears their different and I'm sure 'painted' versions of my last year… not that they were untrue, but still…

I saw Bella giving me guarded glances through her eyelashes. _Shit those assholes are ruining everything!_

"I'll tell you everything later…" I spoke to her softly as we stood waiting for Mrs. Cope.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cope. How are you? This is Isabella Swan, Chief's daughter. I believe you have her schedule…" I spoke quickly giving Mrs. Cope my infamous Cullen smile.

"Oh, Edward dear. How was your Summer? And how are you, sweetie? I hope that our dear Edward is taking care of you…" she spoke in a very motherly fashion as always.

"Ah! Here you are, dear. Please make sure that all your teachers sign it and that you hand it to me before you leave for the day…" she told Bella with a smile.

And of course, my Bella gave her a breathtaking smile nodding her head and voicing her thanks. I took her schedule to take a look. We had almost all of the classes together except for one. She had an advanced business class when I had arts.

"Um… did you ask for the advanced business class to be in your schedule? How about arts? Do you play any instruments? Or do you sing?" I asked her as we stood beside Mrs. Cope's office. But before she could answer, Mrs. Cope said, "Oh, I thought since she was already good and with the recommendation from the principle… he thought it was best to put her in that class. And don't worry, Edward. Mr. Newton will be in her class to help her, he's the best in that subject. Especially since he has the mentality from his father and all…" she finished off with a wink.

_Oh, hell no! Not happening!_

Fate was definitely against me today… first the guys… then the girls… and now _Mickey Mouse!_

"Mrs. Cope, Bella would like to switch to any other available class. Are there any available seats anywhere else?" I asked her trying to keep my breathing in check.

I was finding difficulty keeping my temper down and it school hasn't started yet. _Shit!_

"Edward, I don't want to change the schedule. I like my classes. Those are the best I can get right now and I'm not switching!" she said angrily.

_She was actually going to argue about this!_

I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the side. I whispered angrily, "Bella… that asshole is in your class. And I don't want you near him. Didn't you hear Jasper… this guy has a bad vibe and I don't want you to get hurt… so, let me handle this. You are _not_ taking this class with him! And that's final!" I started to make my way to Mrs. Cope, but Bella pulled me back.

"You listen to me, Cullen! I'm here to study and get good grades and credits so that I can get a scholarship to a good school. Now, I don't know what the deal is between you and Mike and _I don't care!_ I'm taking that class and you have no say in this! I'm not gonna ruin my chances at getting into a good school just because a guy who I couldn't care less about is in my class." With that she said a quick 'thank you' smiling at Mrs. Cope and stormed out of the building without giving me a second glance.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cope…" with that I made my way behind her catching up with her a few feet away from the building.

"Come, I'll take you to our first class…" I said quietly, taking her hand.

She pulled her hand out of mine as if I had burnt her and gave me a withering look, "what the hell do you think you were doing, Edward?! What gives you the right to change any of my classes? And why do you think you have a say in any of that?!" she whispered harshly trying not to draw attention to our conversation.

"Bella. I told you what made me act like that. I care about you. I don't want to see you get hurt. Isn't that enough!?" I said in an equal harsh voice. I made sure to grab her hand and keep walking to our class.

"Still! That gives you no right to make decisions on my behalf… and if my well being is the subject of our discussion and with all the comments I've heard today… I think I should keep my distance from you… since people want to warn me about you. So, does it sound fair that I have given you a chance to show you have changed… when you are not even allowing me to be in the same class as Newton, not that I want to be near him, but he hasn't been anything but respectful towards me! I can't act on double standards, Edward. You are either accepting me with all my choices as I'm accepting you. Or we should just not talk at all. What will it be?" she finished off folding her arms across her chest.

"FINE! I'm sorry I acted like this. I will accept you and your choices… _but_ that doesn't change the face that I distaste your closeness with that guy." I said pointing my index finger in her face.

"Fair enough." She said giving me a smile and batting her lashes at me. _Shit… I should be getting used to this but I can't seem to be doing that…_

"Aren't you gonna lead us to _our _class. I don't like being late…" she asked me sweetly and I was grinning like an idiot.

"Sure, love. Let's go…" I grabbed her hand and snaked our way to the next class. I went directly to my desk at the far end in the corner of the class room. I offered her a seat like a gentleman, making sure that she was on the far side so that she won't get distracted with all the talk around her…

_Yeah, right… so that she won't get distracted with me swatting away the guys trying to make moves on her…_

Classes went smoothly. Our last class before lunch, my Bella managed to look at her watch _only_ 173 times which was good considering the 230 times she did in our previous one… _my baby was doing well!_

Finally when lunch came, she looked like she was on a daze, "I want to go see JC, something is wrong… Mrs. Clearwater hasn't called at all. I'm really worried…" she told me as I led the way to the cafeteria. I saw my family and their significant others sitting at the table and I headed to their table.

"Hey, guys. Anything good to eat?" I pulled a chair for Bella who was fidgeting and sat beside her.

"Bells! Why the long face? Has Eddie been giving you hard time… just say the word and his ass is mine…" numb skull boomed at Bella startling her from her daze.

Rose rolled he eyes at him and glared at me, "better not be acting like an ass towards her, Fuck-head… or you'll be facing hell…" she spoke gravely, shifting her eyes between me and a still dazed Bella. _Shit… scary much?_

"Bells… are you okay? Did something happen?" Jasper spoke softly to Bella with his eyes training on me.

She shook her head and I couldn't help it any more. Who the fuck were they to think that I would hurt her!

"Nothing happened, airheads. What the hell is the matter with you all?! She's _worried_ about JC. I'm gonna take her to visit him right now. I just want her to eat something first." I seethed at them.

"Edward, I'm not hungry. You go ahead and eat. I'll go and see JC. I'm really worried… can I have the keys, please. What if he's sick and she hasn't noticed? What if-" she asked me ignoring the others' remarks and questions, "Love, I want _you_ to eat… I'm not hungry. I can drive you right now, but you look so pale. How about you grab an apple or something and we can leave… come." I left an astounded looking family at the table and headed to grab my girl something to eat.

_Huh! Eat shit you all… see, I can take care of her and you didn't even know it._

I got her an apple and a slice of pizza and went straight to her car. But not before earning glares from Lauren and Jessica. Bella was oblivious of what was going around us, being worried about her son… to which I was thankful. I gave them warning looks and continued to walk to the car.

Once Bella was safely buckled into her seat, I went to the driver's seat and took off. I took a quick glance and Bella and saw that she was staring dizzily out the windshield, still holding the bag of the snacks I got her.

"Love, why don't you eat something, please? Here I'll share the pizza with you?" I spoke softly.

She nodded at me and grabbed the pizza holding it to my mouth, "I said I'll share it… so take a bite and then I'll take one…"

She didn't say anything, just kept holding the pizza to my mouth and looking at me. I sighed and opened my mouth; I took a big bite. She smiled at me and grabbed the apple and took a small bite herself.

"You didn't eat with me?!" I whined like a baby with a mouth full of food.

"I like the pizza that _I_ make… so I'll settle for the apple, thank you" she replied taking another small bite.

I huffed and opened my mouth to say something, but the minx held the pizza up and shoved it into my mouth.

"Wha' wa' da' fo'?" I asked her spitting food like a baby, "Pay back's a bitch, baby" she answered me sweetly.

_She was taking her revenge for how I had fed her at the mall… Shit!_

I narrowed my eyes at her, chewing my mouth full of pizza. She kept smiling at me and eating her apple.

We arrived at the Day-care and I saw Bella reach for the locks, threw her door open and sprint out of the car. And before I closed the door she disappeared inside the Day-care.

I made my way in hearing the kids and babies cry, laugh and talk… I looked around trying to locate Bella and I found her. She was bent over JC's basinet stroking his hair and kissing his forehead. Approaching her, I looked around for Mrs. Clearwater.

"Miss. Swan? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at school?" Mrs. Clearwater asked surprised.

"Oh, please call me Bella, Mrs. Clearwater… and I was worried about JC. I haven't heard from you all day and I thought you might have lost my number or something…" she said softly, while still stroking JC's hair.

"Oh, honey. He's a sweet baby… and he's just fine, I've been checking on him all the time. He's an angel" Mrs. Clearwater said to Bella smiling.

_Huh?! Who's the Angel?_

"Oh, yes. That he is…" Bella said smiling at the waking JC and holding him up and close to her chest.

"Would you like to give him his bottle? I have it right here…" Mrs. Clearwater handed the bottle to Bella, who sat down at a nearby chair and tested the temperature of the milk before giving it to JC who started feeding right away.

I sat beside her and watched the interaction between her and her son…

After another 20 minutes, we were done burping and changing JC. Saying goodbye to Mrs. Clearwater, we made our way to the car and drove off back to school.

"How are you feeling now? See he was fine. There was nothing to worry about…" I said softly, speeding a bit to reach school on time.

"I know… sorry if I sounded a bit of a nag. It's just… it's the first time I've been separated from him for such a long period… I don't think I can get used to this… I've got to figure something out… maybe if I can promise the principle that he's gonna be really quiet… maybe I can bring him a few days to school… Maybe I can ask Mrs. Cope to take care of him, I know he'll be an angel…" she spoke thoughtfully and then started chewing on her bottom lip nervously.

I groaned. Shit! I was getting hard, with only this simple act… only she can do that to me.

"Love, stop doing that…" I spoke in a strained voice as we reached the school and I parked in the space at the far end of the lot.

"Doing what? I didn't do anything…" she asked surprised at my words.

"Stop doing that to your lip." I unbuckled the seatbelt and leaned towards her, looking her straight in the eye. I have warned her about that more than once… it was a nervous habit of hers _and it was driving me insane!_

"I told you before it's a nervous habit… I just can't control it, it's not like I do it on purp- mmmm" I cut her off crashing my lips to hers. I trapped her between me and the seat and continued to kiss her till she responded to the kiss… _maybe I should teach her a lesson_

I grabbed he bottom lip between my teeth and started nibbling and sucking on it… "mmm, yeah… you taste delicious, love… mmmm… maybe… mmmm… I'll do that… mmm… next time… for you… mmmm… yeah… mmm… kay, love…" I kept sucking and kissing until I was about to explode, then I moved down her jaw leaving hot trail of kisses as I reached her ear, "what do you think… do you think you can quit this habit now, love? Because I gotta tell you, I don't mind doing it for you one bit…" I whispered in her ear and then sucked gently on her lobe earning a gasp from her.

I looked at her smugly, loving the effect that I had on her.

But then, she whispered to me, "Well… since you were so generous to offer. Maybe you could help me find something that has enough stamina for me to suck instead of my lip… maybe that will take my mind off that nasty habit of mine… don't you think?" she asked me sweetly sucking on my earlobe and palming my stiffness.

By this point I was panting with my eyes shut. _Shit… this is not happening… nothing can solve this problem now!_

Suddenly she removed her hand and backed away a little… I looked at her wondering why she had stopped when I heard a high bang on the window near me, "Eddie boy. You're gonna be late for class" Emmett the knucklehead boomed from outside the car.

_And problem solved…_

I narrowed my eyes at Bella who was smiling mischievously at me, "You could have warned me…" I said spitefully.

"What?! And miss out on the look I have seen on your pretty face when Emmett got you out of your daydream, _Eddie boy…"_ she mocked me getting out of the car.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" I yelled at her as she sprinted to meet my sister and Rose by the door.

"I got out of the car to meet a snickering Emmett and seething Jasper, "that was not cool, fuckhead. I almost had a heart attack, you idiot!" I fumed at the still snickering Emmett.

"Better get a heart attack rather than have me remove that heart and use it as my stress ball, Cullen." Jasper hissed beside me.

"I warned you, Cullen. Don't mess with Bella. She's out of your league…" Eastwood drawled at me.

_Fucker!_

"Jazz, stay _the fuck_ out of this. It's none of your concern. And for the millionth time, I know that she's different. It might make you comfortable to know… she has me by the balls, man… _happy?!"_ I spitted my words as our faces were almost touching in our glaring contest.

"_Ecstatic_…" he smirked at me.

"_Fucker…"_ I muttered under my breath as I headed towards my next class.

The rest of the classes went by quickly. Lauren tried to talk to me a couple of times but I brushed her off. I don't need her shit right now… can't she take a hint.

Jessica managed to corner me when I was grabbing my stuff out of my locker for our last class.

"Hey, Eddie. Why the cold shoulder? And who's that girl you're hanging out with?" she asked me in her nasal voice.

"Jess, she's none of your business. And it's not a cold shoulder or anything… I've just grown out of the stupid stage I was in. I'm not interested in anyone but Bella. So, keep your claws to yourself…" I spoke as politely as possible.

"What do you mean grew out of your stage…_ what?_ Aren't I good enough for you any more? Is she better than me? I heard that she's already been used before? Are you into used commodity, now?" she mocked me, but she wasn't saying that about my Bella. I grabbed her by the arm, harshly, shaking her slightly.

"Jess, if I ever, and I mean _EVER_, hear you say that about Bella again; or even think about her that way again, you'll answer to me. I don't hit women usually, but in your case I'll make an exception… is that clear?" I spoke viciously as my temper was getting the best of me.

"I said… is that _clear_?" I repeated as she grimaced and nodded while trying to withdraw her arm from my grasp. She looked beside me and lowered her gaze.

"Edward, it's okay. I don't care what they say. Please, let's just go. We have a class now…" my angel spoke softly as she came to my side, grabbing my arm and trying to pull me with her.

"And you can tell Lauren and the others. I'm not the same as before. I'm a one-woman man, now. And if any of you try to badmouth Bella in any way, you'll have to answer to me… is that clear?" I kept my sharp gaze fixed on her to make sure that she was getting my drift.

"Yes, Eddie-" she whispered.

"It's _Edward_. There is no Eddie here. Now, get out of my face…" I let go of her arm and saw her sprinting away.

"Thank you, Edward. I really appreciate what you did…" Bella was standing beside me smiling tenderly.

"It's nothing, love. It's something I should have done a long time ago…" I spoke softly resting my forehead against hers.

Suddenly, I heard a few people clapping a few feet away.

"Eddie man, didn't know you had it in you… welcome back, bro. It's been sometime…" Emmett said smiling at me as he patted me on the back.

"Oh, Edward… I knew you could do it. Everything will be perfect." Pixie was bouncing in place excitedly.

"Well, that's the first step. But I'm still keeping an eye on you. So, don't go missing around!" Rose narrowed he eyes at me.

"Don't fuck it" Jazz smiled at me and gave Bella a wink. _Back off, Poker face…_

"Let's go, we'll be late for our last class of the day…" I grabbed Bella by the elbow and walked to our last class.

As we entered the class room, I noticed Newton sitting in the desk next to ours and I groaned inwardly.

"Hey, Bella. How are you? And how is your son?" he got up from his seat, trying to make conversation with Bella.

"I'm fine Mike, thank you for asking. And JC is fine too. He's at the Day-care… I can't wait to go to pick him up…" my Bella replied sweetly.

"Well that's a first… usually mothers complain about their babies. Especially young mothers… and how is school so far?" he laughed.

_What do you know fucker. She's not like all mothers!_

"Well, I love my son. And school is fine thank you… Edward has been escorting me to my classes…" she smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back as I ushered her to _our_ desk.

"I heard you will be with me in advanced business class. Let me know if you need any help. And I'll escort you tomorrow to that class, with your permission of course." he asked her politely.

"Don't worry, Newton. I'll do the escorting. And Bella is a smart lady… I'm sure she won't need your help." I answered him sarcastically earning me a glare from Bella.

"But thank you for offering…" I said with a smirk and I saw Bella smile at me.

I waited for Bella to take her seat and I sat beside her. The time passed rather slowly.

But once the bell rang I was out of my seat. I hung my bag over my shoulder with Bella's bag in one hand and her arm in the other. I led the way to the lockers to switch books to take the ones we had home work in.

I went to her locker first and when she was done, I stopped by my locker to grab my books…

We drove off to pick up JC before heading home, "So… you'll come to our house to finish our homework and maybe take a nap… I'll take care of JC." I stated matter-of-factly.

"Edward, I need to give JC a bath and I need to prepare dinner for Charlie. I can't just come and study at your house like this…" she huffed at me.

"Well, you got to study, don't you?" I asked.

"Yes?" She answered questioning me with her eyes.

"Well, you can study with me and have a small nap before you head home to prepare dinner and give JC his bath. Or better off, why don't you and Charlie have dinner at our house, I know mom wouldn't mi-"

"NO! I mean… no, thank you. I don't want to make any excuses to Charlie that I can't take of things. Just… not today… I'll come and study with you later on… and I'll get some sleep as soon as I put JC to bed, don't worry…" she assured me, but knowing her I knew she wasn't gonna have any rest.

"How about I come and study at your house? Why don't you call the Chief and ask him if it's okay for me to come to your house, in case he comes and sees us together and thinks I'm raping you or something."

"Well, sounds like a plan…" she said smiling at me.

"Good…" I said as I parked the car in front of the Day-Care. We got out and went to pick up JC.

"Hi, Mrs. Clearwater. How is JC, I hope he didn't give you much trouble…" Bella said as she reached JC's basinet to find him cooing. "Hey, baby. You miss me? Miss your mommy? That's a good boy…" she cooed at him as she picked him up.

"Oh, honey. He's an angel. He was no trouble at all. He's been fed and changed. He's in his play mood now." Mrs. Clearwater said smiling at us.

"Do you work here alone, Mrs. Clearwater? Don't you have anyone to help you with the kids?" I asked her as I looked around at the kids. She couldn't have managed to take care of all those kids on her own.

"Well, I have 2 temps that usually come in late and leave early. But my son and his friends come to help me with the older kids… actually they should be here soon… they are running a bit late. You'll meet them tomorrow I'm sure." She said as she handed me JC's stuff.

"Sure, Mrs. Clearwater… We'd love to meet your son and his friends. Thanks for taking care of JC and we'll see you tomorrow." Bella said as she walked out of the door, which I held opened for her.

_Yeah, right… as if I'll let you anywhere near those boys!_

We took off after buckling JC into his seat and putting all the stuff inside the trunk. We discussed what home work we were gonna do and what to leave for later. Like all the projects that required a visit to Port Angeles to get stuff. We decided that we could wait till the car-embargo is lifted, so that I can go grab the needed stuff.

We reached her house and I helped Bella with her bag and JC's stuff. Then, I went home to change, got the books that we wanted to work on and headed to Bella's house.

"Mom, I'm going to Bella's to study. I have my cell on me if you need me…" I told mom as I entered the kitchen.

"Sure, dear. Just make sure that her dad knows that you are there…" she replied not looking at me as she continued to chop vegetables.

"Already done. Bella called him." I said as I grabbed a coke.

"How was school today? Did Bella face any problems or comments?" she asked me worriedly, finally looking at me.

"No, mom. Not at all. Quite the contrary actually. The guys were trying to grab her attention or talk to her and the girls were jealous of her…" I stated stiffly remembering the guys' comments and actions.

"Well, that's good. I'm sure you will be there for her to support her and help her…" she smiled at me as she went back to chopping her vegetables.

"That, Mrs. Cullen, is absolutely correct. Now, you need anything before I head to Bella's?" I asked her as I threw the can in the trash.

She looked at me baffled, "what? Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked her sceptically.

"Um… nothing, son. It's just… it's been a long time since you have asked me if I needed anything? That's sweet of you, Edward…" she said smiling as she went back to her business.

"But, thank you, dear. I'm all set here. Dinner's at 6:30 as always…" she told me and I said my goodbye heading out to Bella's.

I knocked on the door and stood there for a few moments till she opened the door.

"Yes. That's great, JD… Please send my greetings to all our friends back home. I miss you all… Sure… yeah… okay, bye." Bella's voice trailed to me as she came to open the door.

_JD?! Who the fuck is JD?_

I got in and placed my books on the kitchen table, "Hello, love. Did you get your stuff ready?" I asked her as I took a seat at the kitchen table, noticing that she was still in the same clothes.

"Yes, everything I need is here. I just didn't get the chance to change. I put JC to sleep, I tidied up my and Charlie's rooms and put the laundry on… and then got a call. And here I am…" she finished smiling and taking a seat beside me at the table.

"Oh? Who called you?" I said nonchalantly as I started opening my books and preparing my laptop for our session.

"Umm… just… umm… a friend from back home…" she answered with a smile, opening her own books and laptop.

"A _guy_ friend?..." I couldn't help but ask.

"Yes. And I'm not saying more than that, so stop asking." She finished her sentence getting up and heading to the fridge, "would you like to drink anything? I have soda?" she asked me trying to change the subject. But I wasn't having any of that. _I needed to know!_

"I'd like a coke, thanks. So are you and this guy close? Like he's your boyfriend close?" I asked her casually.

She gave me a hard look and I gave her an innocent expression, "what? Can't I make a conversation? _Sheesh…"_ I asked her huffing at her reaction.

"No, you are here to study. So, let's start genius…"

_Fine… I'm letting this go... for now, though… we need to discuss this and soon._

We continued to study for a couple of hours before we heard JC's cry from upstairs.

"Hmm, I guess. It's good we are almost done; I can finish the remaining tomorrow though…" saying that, she grabbed her stuff and sprinted upstairs.

I began collecting my books, still ticked about that _JD_ character who was calling her.

"Edward!" she called from upstairs.

"Yeah?" I called back at her.

"Can you bring JC's bottle? It's in the bottle heater; I prepared it a few minutes ago." She called to me.

I grabbed the bottle and went upstairs. I gave her the bottle and watched her as she fed JC, "I think I'll make lasagne for supper…" she mused to herself.

_Lasagne… yum…_

I think she saw the look on my face, because she asked me right away, "Would you like to stay for dinner? You've helped me a lot on my first day and this is the least I could do… what do you say?"

"Certainly, love. You know I love Lasagne." I said with a smile.

"Good, now. If you'd like to tell your mother, I'll start JC's bath and then you can put him to sleep so I can start on dinner. How does that sound?" she asked me as she started laying JC's new clothes on bed for after his bath.

"Sounds good to me…"

I grabbed my phone and called mom to tell her I was staying at Bella and then went to help Bella with JC's bath. After he was all clean, she gave him to me and went to start preparing dinner.

He started whimpering and I knew what I had to do. I started humming Clare De Lune and rocking him gently. I kept humming for a few minutes and then after he was asleep I laid him in his basinet. I heard the clanking of kitchenware from where Bella was working and thought I'd lie on her bed for a bit.

Once my body hit her bed and my nose got to smell her sweet scent, my body relaxed and I was a gone.

"Edward… Edwaaard… wake up, sleepy head…" an angel was calling my name in a hushed voice…

"Hmmm…" I hummed at the loss of the angel's voice.

"Edward… don't you want to eat with me… dinner is ready…" the angel tried again but this time I woke up feeling soft lips brush against my forehead, "hmm…" I hummed again, keeping my eyes shut and waiting for my angel's next move.

"Come on, Edward. The food is getting cold. Charlie is gonna be working late. Do you want me to eat alone? Fine. Suit yourself… I'll eat alone. AAAAH" she yelped as I quickly wrapped my arms around her and pulled her flush against my body on her bed, her back pinned to my front. And my face buried in her hair.

"Hmm… I'm awake, love. I was just enjoying your voice." I said kissing her head.

"So… aren't you hungry? You've been sleeping for quite sometime…" she asked me, leaning against my body.

_God! It feels so right to hold her like that…_

"I'm famished… and the lasagne smells delicious. Lead the way, love" I said as I got up and pulled her with me. I waited till she checked on JC and started ahead of me a few steps before lunging at her. I grabbed her and threw her over my shoulder, just like a caveman and making my way down to her kitchen.

"put me down, you CAVEMAN! Put me DOWN!" she yelled at me flailing her legs trying to get down.

"Sure, love." I put her down gently when I reached the kitchen and held her by the arms till she stopped swaying.

"Penny-head! Why did you do that!?" she scolded crossing her arms in front of her chest…

"I wanted to carry you down, since you made me dinner…" I shrugged my shoulders as I took a seat at the table.

During dinner we had a light-hearted conversation. She told me about her school back in Phoenix and I told her about Forks and what I wanted to do when I leave school.

When I was done I stayed with her to help her wash the dishes and left her to go home.

Apparently the Chief had to work the whole night.

Our second day of school was similar to the first, except that Bella seemed more refreshed and, thus, more beautiful.

She was wearing my favourite royal blue v-neck shirt with dark blue jeans. She was _gorgeous!_

"Ready, love?" I asked her grabbing JC's stuff.

"Yep! I'm ready and so is JC… isn't that right, baby?" she cooed at JC who was smiling at her.

I chuckled loving that she looked less stressed today. And we were off…

School passed quickly today. Almost the same routine as yesterday… boys being swatted away… girls glaring and getting glares back… my family being the sweet 'Adam's family' they are… all was good!

_Not entirely good…_

Today was Bella's class with Newton… I made sure to drop her to class, that she was taking her seat beside Jasper, whom I was thankful that he was in her class; and went to say 'hi' to Newton before leaving the class.

I stood in front of him and glared down at him, since he was shorter than me, "Newton, stay away from my Bella. I don't want you near her. I don't want you so much as thinking of her. If Jasper tells me that you were trying to even breathe her way… I'll know about it and you'll answer to me… are we clear?" while I was speaking I noticed how pale he looked so I assumed the message had gotten through.

"I can see that we understand each other?" I cocked a brow at him waiting for his acceptance.

He nodded and I gave him my infamous 'pat' knocking the wind out of him, "good boy. Now, run along and be a good student…"

I looked at Jasper who was chuckling and giving me the thumbs up. I winked at him and looked at Bella beside him and saw her glaring at me.

I approached her, gave her a chaste kiss and whispered, "it's all for your own good, love…" with that I kissed her forehead and headed to my last class, which dragged till forever!

When the bell rang, I gathered my things and went to meet Bella at her class; I saw Jasper standing beside her, "Any 'Newton' trouble" I asked him in a low voice.

"Nope, he was a good boy today. If he keeps doing well. I'll buy him a new comb for his new hair style" he chuckled at his own joke.

"Thank you, man…" I shook his hand.

"Don't mention it. Later, Bells." With that Jazz left to meet with Alice.

I looked at Bella who was leaning against the wall glaring at me.

"You know, I'm not a child, Edward! I can take care of myself!" she huffed at me and left me standing there. I followed her to her locker. And once we got everything ready, we took off to pick up JC.

She gave me the silent treatment along the ride, so basically I was talking to myself.

When I parked the car, she didn't wait for me to get out, just like the last time; she was out of the car and in the Day-Care Centre like a flash.

I noticed a couple of motorcycles parked in front of the Centre beside another old Pickup truck. They motorcycles looked like they were well-maintained.

I circled them for a few moments thinking back to what Mrs. Clearwater had told me, I figured out that these belong to her son and his friends… _the boys…_

_The Boys?! What the Fuck?!_

I ran to the Centre to find my Bella surrounded by _The Mohicans…_ three tall guys, two of which looking oddly familiar… and then it clicked. Those were the 2 assholes making plans to flirt with my Bella at the mall… well, at least one of them.

"Hey, Bella. I didn't know you brought your boyfriend with you?" the Asshat called Sam mocked.

"That's none of your business. And I've warned you to stay away from her." I made my way to stand in front of him.

The other guy, Embry, pulled on his sleeve and raised a hand to stop my advancing, "hey, man. Cool it down. We remember what you told us. We are not here to flirt with her. Mrs. Clearwater just wanted us to meet your girlfriend and your son-" he was cut off by a gasp from Bella.

"What did you say?" she asked the idiot while glaring at me.

_Shit…_

"Well, he told us that he was your boyfriend and that JC is his son…" Embry, _the last of the Mohicans,_ blurted out.

"WHAT?!" she shrieked looking furiously at me.

_Ooops…_

**End Chapter Ten**

**AN: What do you think of school, everyone… and who thought that the mall stunt would be biting him in the ass and this soon ;) who wants more o' dat ;) *evil grin* R&R, please…**


	12. Chapter 11

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Jealous/Dom/Possessive Edward.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: to all of you my amazing readers… this is the longest chapter I have ever written, it's gonna be in EPOVs… again because I know you love him like I do… so many surprises and new things coming your way here. And a believe it or not… I dare to say there will be a some limy situation and a small lemon there ;) and of course… more Jealous and possessive Edward moments will emerge and there will be, yet again, a new mean cliffy…**

**Also, I want to thank the amazing people who wished me a happy birthday which was on May, 25****th****… seriously girls you rock my world… thank you so much**

**To those who reviewed, I name…**

**Xfarahx, Soccer11, twloha14, jedigirlsc, In Awe Of Fire, AmberSunshine, Casey, luv4edwardcullen, SecretEmpath, Kerry Hale, jayc3218, kuntrygal, AmaterasuSpiritWolf, Passionate86, alwayswatchingtv, yankeerose, augustine4, Jasper winked, -CAUTION-dazzler, Drowning In Shallow Water-, an anonymous reviewer asking who is JC's mother (it's Renee), mamato, rockstgrl69, Unfeigned, ange87, jenellebelle, xxxxParvati-Patilxxxx, babylopez2008, Loves2Read205, Bananna18, mommytwilight, PLV, Via, lovelywendy, Hope4more, Mandav, robsmom, Isabela is Online, trustme83, MyriadProBold, laceyndom, jktwi, blubuttrfly10, Veronica, lisa430, Wolfy Pup, BellaCullenPR, Cydryna Marie, christine30974, Kimbercat98, SharkGurl, SweetHart2BME, Lies2me, KryssyBee, iloverobpattinson, Lone-leeHeart's4894, twilightfan303, nermalasu, pixietwilighterforever, Kefe, beate73, Vanquish13, wendybaliles, Drama4Twilight, Darkangel0470, sonyabrady1971, Jaspers-new wife, JasmineMarie84, acw1, :}, gjmb2000, Captured-Angel3, Mrs Muze, (a reviewer from Live Journal, Steph, ajayee, faerie kitten, bellaedwardfan78, BrilliantBecca, LindseyRae, XteamXjasperX, laurajaexo, Breath-of-twilight, April, Sateenkaarie and TheMissSmith**

**You are all AMAZING!**

**Also, I just want to make sure that you are reading the stories of my dearest friend (kuntrygal), check out her amazing story 'Taboo' and if you haven't read her story 'Love Hurts'… then seriously people I don't know what you've been readin' so check 'em out and leave her some lovin' ;)**

**Warning! This chapter has inappropriate language and HAS a limy situation, so consider this as a fair warning.**

**This chapter was not read by my beta… so, please don't be hard on me ;)**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Eleven**

**EPOV**

Ooops…

Ah... did I just think 'Ooops'...

Scratch that… FUCKINGSHIT!

That's not good… that's not _fucking_ good at all.

I chanced a glance at Bella and saw her staring red-faced at me, hands on waste… and _I could be imagining_… but I could have swore that there was some smoke coming out of her ears…

I looked at the guys and I saw that _the last of the Mohicans_ had a smug smile on his face... no way! There is no way I'm gonna let him have fun on my account or even think that he has a chance... I looked at Bella again and saw her narrowing her eyes at him, okay good... that's good. I just hope that she's gonna play along with me... _it's for her best after all._

I gave her a subtle nod and thought… _the hell with it_... _she can kill me for it later._

"Well, love. I told them that I was your baby's father... I know I had no right to tell people that, but they were talking about you in a disgusting way and I thought I'd set their record straight. I might not be the _real_ father, but I sure as hell will not stand there and watch them or hear them think about you or talk about approaching you, when they weren't showing any honourable intentions in the first place..." I spoke with confidence, not allowing them to see any even though I have wished for that first part to be true, alas it wasn't.

But still… that last part, at least, _was totally true..._

I stopped talking and looked at them to see that they were unsure of what to say... the smug smiles they all once had had disappeared and right now they were looking at Bella waiting for her confirmation on my outtake.

_Please, love... don't ruin this, it's for your own good. You don't want those guys on your case... you can do much better than them..._

"Why the hell would anyone claim a child to be his just to shut some talking guys up?" _Asshat_ quipped about my behaviour. And _the last of the Mohicans_ howled like a wolf causing _asshat_ to chuckle.

I glared at the both of them wanting to through punches at them till they were dead. Damn them both! I wouldn't hesitate to do it again in a heart beat if it would put a stop to fuckers like you. I was so pissed and my face was definitely turning red.

I looked at her to have the permission to pummel the stupid pack only to see her giving Sam the same look she gave me when I first met her at the convenience store... Oh, I know this look…

_Well_, _helloooo beautiful... come here, girl... come to daddy..._

"Well, let me answer that question for you, _'Bikes-with-Wolves'_." She spit in a harsh voice holding his gaze…

_'Bikes-with-wolves'… huh, good one…_

She continued seething, "One would _act _like that when one sees someone in need of protection of some kind from an 'unwanted situation'... and I remember seeing you guys at the mall… and I recall trying to stay away from you because you acted appallingly; trying to through me cheap lines. And even though my son was with me the whole time, it didn't stop you. And even though Edward had _no right_ to say what he said…" she trailed off giving me a pointed look then she continued…

"He was acting out of good well... and because he had good intentions, which were to keep pin-heads like you out of my way, he said what he said… and if I'm guessing right, he threatened you…" she gave them a questioning gaze, to which they both nod like airheads…

_Pussies!_

She continued glaring at them, "and what do you know… you didn't dare approach me again; which was the right step to do, because if you have… _nothing_ could have saved you, or what's left of you after Edward is done with you, from my wrath...".

She looked around to find Mrs. Clearwater standing on the side fuming with who appears to be her son. "Sam and Embry. I'd like the both of you to leave my Day-Care right away. Your services are no longer required… Your dues will be sent to you with Seth." She said in a low voice glaring at her son.

"You both should be ashamed of yourselves. Both your mothers have raised you better than this…" she continued her bashing as she glared at them.

I looked at Bella, who now was holding the cooing JC to see that she was looking sternly at them.

_Dumb and Dumber _made their way out of the Day-Care with both their heads hung down, Bella approached Mrs. Clearwater who was still glaring daggers at her son,

"Bella dear, I'm sorry that you had to meet those boys. I honestly had no idea that they were acting like this. You won't see them here again; that I promise you. Seth, tell Jake and Paul that we have openings if they want to come and help… at least I know that those two are responsible enough to act civilized…" she spoke to her son while making her way to Bella to hand her JC's stuff.

_What… weren't those the last of them? Damn!_

"Well, mom. I think Paul will be able to do it, but I'm not sure about Jake… he's a bit occupied with his dad." Seth told his mom, with his head still hung.

_Hmm… I think I like this Jake fellow…_

"Oh well, Paul will have to do then. But all the same, tell Jake that the offer still stands…" she added dismissively.

"Oh, Bella honey. I think you know Jake… his dad is your father's fishing pal. They always go on fishing trips. Jake is a really sweet and decent guy." Mrs. Clearwater spoke softly to Bella.

_Okay, I don't think Jake is my favourite fellow any more…_

"No, Mrs. Clearwater, I didn't get the chance to meet Jake. But he sure sounds like a decent guy, if he's taking care of his father…" _My Bella_ told her with a smile.

"Bella, I think we need to get going…" I trailed off taking JC's stuff from her hands. Trying subtly to shift the subject from any "male" related issues.

"Yes, well. Thank you, Mrs. Clearwater. Sorry if I have caused you any inconvenience. Believe me it wasn't intended…" Bella said in an apologetic tone making her way out of the Day-Care.

"Oh, honey. I should be the one apologizing. I can't believe I chose the wrong people to help with such a delicate task. But they were great with children. So, who knew that they have actually acted like that…" she said shaking her head ushering us outside.

"Okay, dear. Have good evening… and take care." She waved as we got into the car and drove off.

We were silent for a few minutes and I chanced a look at her to find that she was looking out of the windshield with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Don't worry, love. We won't see them again… all the bad _wolves_ are gone, no-" I joked trying to lighten the mood but she cut me off.

"What gave you the right to say that you were JC's dad? And how can you tell them that I'm your girlfriend?" she whipped around fuming at me trying to keep her voice level in check not to scare JC.

"Well, I told you what the circumstances were. I didn't mean to offend! Plus, I thought you said you were going to give me a chance… I want to be your boyfriend eventually. The sooner the better, of course…" I replied calmly.

I didn't want to look like I was feeling guilty, because I didn't feel guilty. I would have done it again in a heart beat if it meant to swat off all the unwanted attention she was getting.

"Edward. I agreed to give you a chance and you are already doing a goo-… um well, trying your hard to do well at least… but still. My situation is more complicated than you think… and I don't need you to complicate it more for me. Didn't you think that Forks was a small town and people tend to talk here… what if someone had told Charlie that you were the father? What could have happened then?" she asked me in a sharp tone.

So what?! Let him hear about it… at least maybe then he won't be able to keep her away from me. And I couldn't help but voice my thoughts…

"That's good; you see… at least he won't be able to keep me away from you…" I said with a smile and looking at her to find her face breaking into a smile she was trying to hide. She looked away from me trying to compose herself back.

"No, Edward. It's _not_ good at all. You weren't with me when I had JC? Where were you September last year when I got pregnant with JC?" she asked me in a guarded tone.

"Um… well, I was starting school… but I took a few days off school… so it could have been me." Pouting like a child and believing my own lie…_ God, I was pathetic!_

"Nooo… Don't you see, Edward… If dad had suspected that I have been sleeping around, he would think I'm not fit to be a mother. And believe me… I was so happy that I got him to accept JC in the first place without complicating the situation more. Do you get what I'm saying? I don't want people to think that I'm a slu-" oh no, she's not calling herself that.

"DON'T you dare finish that word, Bella! Don't you dare! No one would think that of you and if I have to kill anyone who has, I would… so, please don't say that. I really didn't think about it at the time I did say that to those guys… but still I wouldn't have claimed JC and you to be mine, if I didn't want you two to be that way in the first place… so, just… please…" I trailed off running my fingers through my hair trying to gain control over my newly found anger.

"But _you_ thought I was one at the convenience store, when you saw me the first time, Edward" she said in a sad small voice not looking at me.

"That's because I was a stupid penny-head. But you set me straight, Bella. And that talk with my dad has caused me to re-think a lot of what was going on in my mind. So, never call yourself that. And I don't know if you believe me, but I'll try my best to make it up to you for the way I treated you at first. I know there is nothing that could be done to erase it completely… but, still I want to try…" I finished off sighing and rubbing my face with my hand trying to control my emotions. _God, I was such a douche!_

"Well… if it makes you feel any better… I thought it was sweet of you to admit that you did it and apologize for it when-" she was smiling and talking softly when I stopped her.

"Whoooaaa! I didn't apologize…" I raised my hand to stop her.

_When did I apologize, who the hell heard me utter an apology? I won't apologize for an action I thought was right… not in a million years!_

"You did… you said that you…" she started saying but I cut her off again.

"I told you _'why_' I told them what I said… I only gave you an _explanation_… I didn't apologize! I won't apologize for an action that I thought was right… and just to put your mind at rest I would do it again in a heart beat if it removes any unwanted guys from the picture. I hope I'm clear at this." I said sternly pointing a finger in her face.

I needed to be clear that the issue was that I haven't told her about it and not that I had said it in the first place.

"But, Edward… didn't you hear what I just sai-" my Bella was trying to argue but I wasn't having any of it.

"Love. Listen to me. No one will disrespect you in anyway, not while I'm well and breathing. If your dad has issues with my claim, let him talk to me, he knows where I live. Even though I'm sure if he heard my argument he won't be that upset. _He's a reasonable man_… as for any other opinion… I'm sorry to say that I really don't give a fuck of anyone else's thoughts. Anything else?" I raised an eyebrow at her in question.

She opened her mouth to argue, but I shot her a warning look. Giving her the signature 'Cullen-glare' I, myself, was scared of.

She looked at me with wide eyes and closed her mouth.

_Good… she's learning fast._

"Just one thing, though…" she said in a small voice not daring to look at me square in the eye as I glared at her.

"And what is that?" I asked her in a calm-as-can-be voice.

"You can't act on your own and not tell me about it. I need to cover my steps, Edward. And I don't want people getting the wrong impression of me, when I can help it. I had the right to know. And I need you to know that I can take care of myself. If I need your help, I _promise_ to ask for it. Just please… don't act on your own. It could complicate things beyond your imagination…" she said softly and I could see that her thoughts were else where.

"Well… I certainly don't want to lose your trust. But, please don't blame me if I said something stupid. Believe me… it will be only for the sake of your and JC's well being. That's all I ask…" I said in a soft voice, trying to gauge her reaction to my words.

She looked at me and smiled tenderly. _Oh, God… that smile…_

I couldn't help but smile back at her, "So, ummm… about that boyfriend thing… what do you think about it?" I asked her casually.

"What boyfriend thing?" she asked me innocently searching for something in her bag.

_My little kitten is out to play, isn't she…_

I put my hand on her bag halting her search for whatever she was looking for…

"Bella? You know what I'm talking about… so, what do you think?" I asked her irritated.

"God! You are such a Penny-head! You can't even ask to be my boyfriend properly… but not right now, Edward. I need more time…" she huffed at me. And I wanted to ask her how much more time, when she continued.

"Let's just say you are taking a step forward and then you are taking, I won't say 2 steps, but half a step back… anyway it's still too soon, I haven't been here for so long… what do you know, I might not be a person you'd like." She continued seriously.

_Hmm… I doubt it!_

"Anyway… don't worry, Edward. I have you on the top of my _list_" she continued sweetly with an evil grin.

_What the fuck…_

I gave a signal and slowed down the car and parked on the side of the deserted road we were driving through.

She looked at me alarmed.

"What's the matter, Edward? Did the car break? Are you feeling okay? Why did you-" I raised my hand to stop her questions from flowing.

I looked at the backseat and saw that JC was sleeping soundly in his car seat. I got out of the car making my way to Bella's side. I flung the door open and offered her my hand which she took, in confusion.

"Edward, what happe- mmmm" I cut her off by pushing her back against the car and ravishing her mouth with my own…

If she was having any doubt about us and keeping a tab or a list of possible guys, I needed to remove all traces of that right away.

I traced her lower lip with my tongue and she opened for me gasping for air. I explored her sweet taste with my tongue, while my hands started to do their own explorations… I held her first by the waist and then my hands started to move up on her waist till they grazed the outer sides of her breasts. She whimpered. So I let go of her mouth and trailed small open-mouth kisses along her jaw heading for her ear. I nibbled and sucked lightly on her lobe.

"Love, do you think any of the guys you saw" I nibbled a bit, "or any of the guys you ever would see" I sucked a bit more, "would ever make you feel the way you are feeling right now" I said softly.

She mewled to me with her eyes closed. I rubbed her sides again tracing the lower side of her breasts with my thumbs. I backed off a bit, "love, open your eyes for me…" I said softly and when she did, I could see that they were clouded with lust.

I closed the distance between our two faces caressing every part of her face either with my lips or my nose, ending my journey by rubbing her soft lips with mine, "love, do you have any doubt that this…" I stopped to kiss her lips softly, "… feels just right… because if you say you have those doubts… I'll do everything in my power to wipe them all out one by one…" I kissed her eyes softly, "I'll make sure that you see no one but me, just like I can see no one but you…" I caressed her nose with mine, feeling her breath tickling my own.

"Umm… too soon. I can't…" she tried to form a coherent sentence, but I shut her with a fierce kiss that knocked even the breath out of my lungs… _God, she tasted so good._

I stopped; pulling back a little but not enough for her to move away from me, I still held her really close. "Can you even doubt that we belong together?" I whispered to her, "There's no _list_, love. Forget about the other guys. You know they are not worth it… no one is worthy of you, love. Not even me…" I caressed her mouth with mine, "but I have to try my best. I'm not letting you go… I can't let go, even if I wanted to… I can't go back to the dark, after I have found my light… just, please… give me a chance?" I asked her as I kissed her soft lips again.

She signed and closed her eyes. She rested her forehead on my chin for a minute. And after a few moments, she raised her head to face me, "Edward. I don't know what to say. I know you make me feel special and as you said… I doubt that any other guy would make me feel even half of how you're making me feel… but, Edward... I'm afraid. I'm afraid that if I trusted you, that you will hurt me…" she spoke softly and I wanted to assure her that she was wrong but then she cut me off with her lips… _cheater!_

She broke off the kiss and continued, "Please, hear me out to the end… Edward… I'm gonna repeat the same words I told you before… you don't know anything about me…_ at least not yet._ And if I choose you, I'm afraid that you'll start doubting me if I acted a bit off or differently. I mean I know that I'll tell you everything eventually… but for the time being… my life is a mess. And I'm afraid if I take your offer, that I'll be the one to ruin it…" she looked at me pleadingly and then continued.

"I can sense how this bond between us is so strong… but what if you saw something and started acting out based on it. Hell, you were acting out when you aren't even my boyfriend! How can I be sure that you'll never doubt me… that you won't think I'm cheating on you if I talked to a guy? That you won't think I'm worthy of your trust if you heard something about me? What do you say to those things, Edward?" she asked me sadly.

I brought one of my hands to cup her face, "I say… I'll do everything that I can not to lose you or lose my faith in you. Love, I'm never going to doubt you…" she interrupted me.

"Like you were 'not doubting' me when I was on the phone yesterday…" she cocked an eyebrow at me daring me to deny it.

_Damn… I forgot about that JD character… the 'BBB' plan? Will see about that later…_

"Love, I know I acted like an ass. I just wanted to know everything about you. This will help a lot. And I mean everything… I can't help but think the worst and when I say the worst I don't mean about you…" I said quickly.

"I can't think clearly when I'm in the dark. You can tell me anything. If you told me that the guy you were talking to was someone from Phoenix… like an ex-boyfriend or something…" I spoke hastily to be cut off.

"I had no boyfriend… it was only JC's dad…" she spoke quickly. _That could be JC's dad she was with on the phone…_

"So… you mean to tell me it was JC's dad on the phone. Are you still on good terms with him? You can trust me with anything. But I need to know…" I looked at her trying to decipher her look.

"Edward… JC's dad's situation is a sensitive issue to me. Let's just say JC's dad is out of the picture completely. But I don't want you to think that I would bad-mouth him in anyway… like _ever!_" she spoke with determination.

_Then who the hell was she talking to on the phone that day… DAMN IT!_

'_BBB' plan is gonna be back in action if I didn't know soon…_

She looked like she was contemplating things in her mind, as if trying to decide the best thing to do. So I decided to help her, "How about this… you agree to be my girlfriend; and during our time together, you can decide on whether you trust me based on how I act? How about it? We can start with small things that I need to know about you… small secrets that you can trust me with…" I spoke in the same soft tone.

"Like for example… um… off of the top of my mind and just for the peace of my mind… was that JC's dad on the phone?" I asked her looking in her eyes.

She rolled her eyes at me, "No, Edward. Let your mind be at peace… that was a real close friend of mine from Phoenix and he was there for me through a lot of stages of my life… and he helped a lot during the last few months. He was someone special to me. And _not_ that kind of 'special', so don't give me that hurt look. If I had someone else in my mind I wouldn't be standing here with you right now…" she finished with a smirk.

I sighed a little happy about her last revelation, "Okay then… we'll start off, slow. And I won't rush it, love. I don't want to ruin this." I said and kissed her forehead.

She relaxed in my arms and wrapped her arms around me, "I think I'd like that…" she smiled at me leaning in and kissing my lips sweetly.

_Could it be?_

"Is that a 'yes'?" I asked her with a wide smile, she smiled at me nodding her head.

I couldn't help it. I picked her up spinning her, laughing like a little kid with no worries, "AAAAAHHHH, Edward. Put me down! EDWARD! DAMN IT!" She screamed at me between her laugh fits.

I put her down and held her closer to me burying my face in her hair and inhaling deeply, "Thank you, love. You'll never regret it." I kissed the top of her head.

"I hope not… I really _really_ hope not, Edward" she spoke softly as she held me closer to her.

_God, it felt so right…_

I ushered her to her seat and went around the car to my own. I drove off with the biggest grin plastered on my face. I grabbed her hand and kissed it softly keeping it in my grip the whole ride home.

Once we reached her house, I got out quickly and got all our stuff from her car. I followed her to her house and placed all the stuff down. She let me hold JC as she headed to the kitchen to put all JC's bottles for cleaning. She checked the fridge and got out some vegetables for dinner when she noticed a note posted on it.

She read it out loud, "'Bells, don't wait up tonight; it's the same big case we are working on. Love, Charlie. PS. Give JC a big kiss for me'." she sighed, "It must be this new case he's been working on. I wonder if they found another body…" she mused to herself putting all the vegetables back in the fridge.

"What case?" I asked her rocking JC gently.

"Well, apparently they have found the body of a young woman around my age buried near Forks. I just hope that they have found a clue and not another body…" she said with a frown, approaching me to take JC from me and head to the living room.

"Would you like to stay? I'm going to order a pizza?" she said in a sweet tone trying to lighten the mood. But she couldn't fool me, I knew she was worried.

"I'd love to have some pizza with you. But…" but before I could ask her, "Let me get JC upstairs, I'll change and be back in a bit…" she said making her way upstairs.

"I'll go change and come back" I said raising my voice so she can hear me.

"Okay…" she answered from upstairs.

I went home my mind wandering of what got her so worried all of a sudden.

"Mom… I'm home…" I bellowed as I entered my house.

"No need to yell, honey. I'm right here." Mom said as she went into the laundry room. I followed her, "Hey, mom. Have you heard about the case Char- I mean Chief Swan is working on? He just left Bella a note saying that he'll be out all night working on it…" I asked her leaning against the door.

"Oh, yes. It's horrible. Last week, they found a body buried in the woods near Forks. And just last night they found another body of a young girl around your age. God, what is this world turning into?" she sighed and made her way to the kitchen.

I followed her to ask if she knew anything more, "Have they found any clues? Any leads? Has anyone seen the victims before? Or were they reported missing?" I asked her quickly…

"Wait wait wait… slow down, honey. What's gotten into you? What's with all the questions?" she asked me.

"Nothing, mom. I just thought it's rare for these things to happen here in Forks. And I thought that they might have clues to solve this case… so?" I rushed her.

"Okay let's see… hmm… no one had reported the victims to be missing… both the girls were brunettes… no wait, the first one was a brunette but the second one was blonde but her hair was dyed dark brown. They still haven't disclosed anything about any leads or clues yet." She finished heading to work on dinner.

"Are you going to eat with us or with Bella?" she asked with a knowing smile.

"I'm going to eat with Bella. We are ordering pizza after we are done with our studies." I smiled at her.

"Um… mom, do you think it's wise to let Bella sleep alone at her house? I mean with those murders and all. Do you think we can invite her for a sleepover? At least in the nights Chief Swan is not home…" I asked her casually.

She gave me a mischievous grin, "Are you worried about her, Edward? Don't worry, dear. I already suggested that to Chief Swan when he was heading out and I was going to tell Bella about it in a few minutes. She's spending the night at our house tonigh- UGH!" I stopped her words with a fierce hug.

"Thank you, mom. I'll tell her right now. Umm… I'll tell her to come and have dinner with us too. She needs her vegetables after all and she doesn't take care of herself well enough." I spoke with a wide grin on my face.

"Okay, dear. Go change and see if Bella needs any help to get her stuff here. I'm going to give her the guest room across from yours. Or maybe I should give her the one near Alice, since I know you are a light sleeper…" she smirked at me.

"Um… actually I was thinking that you should be giving her the adjacent room, the one I share a bathroom with, you know… um… just in case she needs help with JC or something…" I told her dismissively.

"Edward… this girl is special. Please, don't hurt her. She has changed you a lot… or rather got you to your old self. Which is something none of us could achieve… don't ruin it. You weren't even this happy when you were with Victoria and that's saying something. I can see the looks you give her and the look that appears on your face every time someone mentions her name… it's the same look your dad gets when he hears about me or talks to me… and that's special." She spoke softly holding my arm while talking.

"Don't worry, mom… I won't let her slip through my fingers. By the way, I haven't seen Victoria at school recently. Have you heard from her parents? Is she okay?" I asked her conversationally.

"Well, now that you brought it up. She moved with her family to Port Angeles after you left to California… and she just started attending school there now. The day you arrived here in Forks, her parents sent her to spend a few days at her cousin's in Phoenix before school starts" she said with a smile and then she continued,

"And according to her mom, she has met someone on the plane to Phoenix. And believe it or not… but it looks like that guy will be moving to Port Angeles. Apparently when Vicky was there, she made him apply to the football team in Port Angeles High and it looks like they were impressed, because he was offered a spot in their football team and a scholarship to an Ivy league University. Today when I called her mother, she told me that he accepted the offer and that he will be attending school with Vicky. He's preparing his papers and he'll start school there next week." She finished and started preparing dinner.

_Well, that's interesting..._

"Um… well. I hope that all goes well with her. She deserves the best." I said with sincerity.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Edward? I know things turned the wrong way with Victoria but now that I'm seeing you with Bella. I don't think it was Victoria that you were meant to be with…" she winked at me.

I narrowed my eyes at her teasing, "Well, first of all… I _am_ happy for her. And if I'm going to be honest with myself, I'd say that I'm glad that I'm not with Victoria, because I can honestly say that I have never felt like that with her before… as for Bella… I can't stress enough on how right you are; so right… that Bella has agreed to be my girlfriend today" my smile was so wide.

"Oh my God! Honey, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you…" she left whatever was in her hands and hugged me tightly.

"I'm happy for myself too, mom. We are taking things slow though. We are still in the process of knowing each other and we want this to be perfect. I just hope that I'll be worthy of her." I held my mother tightly as I spoke.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, honey. I'm sure you both will do beautifully." She patted me on the back and I made my way to my bedroom to change.

I was making my way down the stairs when I saw my pixie sister and her boyfriend coming up the stairs, "Hey Pixie, Jazz. How are you this fine afternoon?" I asked them merrily and they both stared at me like I was high.

"Edward… you look um… happy… we are fine, thanks. Heard Bella was coming for a sleepover, tonight…" pixie said with a knowing smile.

"Well, yes, Pixie. That's right… I'm happy. Right now, I'm heading to my _girlfriend's_ house to tell her that she's gonna spend the night at our house…" I said with a smirk.

"I'm sorry… your g_irlfriend?"_ Jasper asked as if he hadn't heard me correctly. _Well, too bad, Peter Pan…_

"Oh, you heard me correctly, Peter Pan. Bella has agreed to be my girlfriend… we're taking things slow, but basically… she's mine now." I replied smugly.

The couple exchanged some worried glances and then I saw Jasper nod to Alice, "Um… excuse me, honey. I think I left one of the books in your room…" he trailed off as he made his way to Alice's room.

"That's great, Edward. You two are perfect for each other… um… did you get the chance to talk together. Like... did you tell her about Victoria? Has she told you about JC's dad? Or where has he been?" she asked me as she walked with me downstairs.

"Well, I'm sure she's heard about Victoria, but not the whole thing. And she's told me about JC's dad… also vaguely. As I said, we are going to take things one step at a time. I want her to trust me and she wants me to trust her. Not that I don't trust her, but I just don't want her to keep things from me. Especially if it has to do with her life in Phoenix…" I said as I stopped with Alice by the front door.

She looked at me hesitantly as if she was still waiting for me to say something more, "Um… well, that's good, Edward. I know things will work out smoothly. Just don't judge her if she doesn't open up entirely. She's been through a lot lately… you know with JC, her mother's accident, the move with her dad and all… just give her sometime…" she smiled sadly at me.

"I'll give her all the time she needs, Ali. I don't expect her to trust me just like that. I'm sure I'll have to earn her trust somehow. But in anyway I don't intend on giving up on her…"

With that I turned to leave, but she held me in place, "Oh, I heard that mom and dad are thinking seriously of giving you your car back…" she said with an evil grin and with that she held my total and undivided attention.

_The BBB plan would be up and running, if my Bella doesn't start to spill soon…_

We spoke for a few minutes. I tried to leave her and head to Bella's but she kept asking me new questions or gave me new pieces of information. It was like she didn't want me to leave.

"I found it…" Jasper blurted as he came towards us holding up a book in his hand. "Honey, it was under a ton of clothes. You really need to sort out the mess in your bedroom… it took me forever to find it." He said with mock exhaustion.

She smiled at him and he nodded back to her giving her a pointed glance, "Oh, well. I'll do that when we're back. Let's go now. Em and Rose are meeting us at Rose's house." Alice said sweetly, waving as she got out.

But before Jasper followed her, he stopped beside me putting a hand on my shoulder, "Edward, I know we had this conversation before and you have already told me your intentions… I just need to make things clear right now. Bella is someone really special to me. You need to earn her trust, which might not be hard to achieve, but it would be definitely hard to maintain.

"Also, make sure you take care of her. Hurt her and you'll pay with your life. JC is part of Bella, so he's included in the deal. Don't screw this, man." He spoke gravely and then patted me on my back, "That's all. Have a good day, Edward. I'm happy for you both." with that, douche-bag left me standing right there glaring daggers at his back.

_Jasper could be full of shit sometimes!_

I left the house to go to Bella's and I entered the house without knocking. _Well, that's not good… she needs to lock the door when she's alone._

"Honey, I'm home." I bellowed as I closed the door. I heard hurried footsteps making their way downstairs and saw Bella coming towards me raising her hand, "Sshhhh… I just got JC in bed. Please, lower your voice." She spoke gently as she grabbed my hand with one of her hands and got her bag with the other and went to the kitchen.

"Mom wanted me to tell you that she had agreed with your dad that you should spend tonight at our house, since he's going to be out most of the night, if not all of it." I said with a big smile as I started getting my books and laptop out of my bag.

"What?! Why?! This is not the first time that I'll be spending the night alone. Please, tell your mother that I'll be fine. I can take care of myself. This is the Chief's house after all… it's safe." She spoke with finality and I didn't like it one bit.

"'Safe' my ASS! I just got in and you didn't even hear me coming in till I 'announced' my entrance. What if I was an murderer or a rapist?! There is no way in hell that I'm gonna let you spend tonight or any night alone in this house, for that matter. So, there is no argument here. We will finish our school work and then I'll help you pack whatever you want for the night. Oh, I remembered… there is no need to get pizza; mom has invited you to dinner with the family." I spoke with determination that could not be wavered.

I was still getting my stuff organised when she spoke again, "But, Edward..." She started to argue and I whipped my head towards her giving her a sharp look, subsequently shutting her up.

"What? Are you going to tell me that you didn't leave the door unlocked? Or you're going to tell me that you can fight a man twice your size? Don't be stubborn, love… this is for your and JC's own good. Plus, I'll get the chance to help you with JC if he keeps you up at night…" I said in a less harsh tone towards the end.

"Fine. But that doesn't mean that I like it." She huffed at me.

We spent the next couple of hours working on our homework. After that I told her to start preparing things for the night. She sighed and reluctantly walked to her room leaving me to organize our books for the things we still needed to work on in my house tonight.

I made a few trips to my house getting the stuff she needed all settled in the room adjacent to mine.

After everything was set, I went to her house to get JC's bag and make sure that everything is locked before we made our way to my house.

"Mom, we're here."

"Hey, Bella. How are you, dear?" my mom asked her with a big smile as she came to greet her.

"I'm okay, thank you, Mrs. Cullen. And thank you for inviting me to stay at your house, although it was totally unnecessary…" she spoke without looking at me; she knew that I was glaring at her.

_That was totally unacceptable!_

"Bella, we spoke about this…" I told her before I was cut off by my mother.

"Oh, hush, honey. You are most welcome and at anytime. Now, how is our little angel here…" she said taking JC from Bella's arms and making her way to the living room.

"Carlisle dear, guess who just came?" mom said as she disappeared into the living room.

"Bella. Why are you being difficult?! I told you why you need to come and spend the night. Why do you need to keep arguing?" I asked her severely, "I'm not going to sit and just leave you alone at your house, if I can do something about it. Please, don't bring up the subject again. This is a closed case for me." I finished and held out a hand for her to take.

"But it's not a closed case for _me_, Penny-head! I'm not a child, Edward. I got your point about not locking the doors and all. But still, I can't keep doing this every time Charlie has to work late or stays out. Don't forget that he's the Chief and he's bound to have those any moment. Moving with a child is a hassle. It's not easy to do this all the time! So, basically, what I'm saying is… I don't think there is going to be a repeat of tonight anytime soon." She said with her hands on her hips.

_Oh, yeah… we'll see about that…_

"Sure, love." I smiled at her, letting her think that she's won the battle of the argument for now.

She smiled back at me and put her hand in mine.

The family dinner was spent with Bella telling us about her time in Phoenix, or Emmett making jokes that made her blush that beautiful shade of pink. Of course, every time he made a 'not so innocent' comment, he'd earn a slap on the back of his head from the fierce blonde of a girlfriend of his… _which made me respect her more and more._

Jasper and Alice were silent during most of the dinner conversation with occasional hushed conversations between Alice and Bella or Jasper and Bella.

After dinner, we moved to the living room. We, the guys, played with JC as the ladies cleared the table. I made him laugh occasionally, knowing exactly what caught his attention or how to tickle him. _He was so damn cute, just like his mommy!_

Then, mom offered to take care of JC since Bella and I still hadn't completed our homework. We worked for another couple of hours before we heard mother knocking on the door and coming in with the cooing JC in her arms.

"Hey, honey. I just gave JC his bottle and I think he's sleepy. Maybe you'd like to give him his bath…" mom said softly as she handed JC to Bella.

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Cullen. It was so nice of you to take care of him for me…" my girl smiled as she held JC to her chest.

Then she left me and went to give JC his bath and put him to bed. I took a quick shower after she was done and went to her room. I saw her singing softly to JC who was in her arms and stroking his head tenderly.

I smiled and leaned against the doorframe enjoying watching her with her baby. She hasn't made any sign that she had noticed me.

She stood up and put JC in his basinet and adjusted the baby blanket over his form. I came from behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist making her jump in the process, "Shit! You scared the hell out of me, Edward! You shouldn't sneak on people like that…" she chastised me as I spun her in my arms and kissed her softly.

_Hmm… I think I've been waiting for this my whole life…_

She hummed against my mouth. I stopped the kiss and led her to bed, "Edward, I need to go to the bathroom. I need a shower and to wear my pyjamas…" she said as she tried to squirm her way out of my arms.

"Sure, love." I held her and almost threw her on the bed and I crawled and hovered above her.

"Edward, what are you doing?" she writhed under me, but I kept her tightly close to me. I kissed her softly a few times on the lips before peppering her face with small kisses. I knew that we couldn't take this any further… being it a school night and in my parents' house.

"Don't worry, love. I was just wishing you a goodnight…" I smiled kissing her one more time.

"Hmm… kay. I'll go take a shower, now" she got out of bed, kissed me on the head and left for her business.

I laid in bed just listening to the water running in the bathroom, since I couldn't go back to my bedroom through the bathroom any more…

Once the water was shut I propped myself on my elbow waiting for her to come out. She came out in a pyjama shorts and a tank top with spaghetti straps. I could see clearly that she wasn't wearing a bra.

And apparently she was _cold…_

_Fuck!_

She towel dried her hair, then brushed it and came to bed.

She stood by the foot of the bed smirking at my ogling, "Edward… aren't you gonna go to bed?"

"Huh?" I asked her like an idiot with my eyes still glued to her hardened nipples.

She giggled and came to stand on my side of the bed and just in front of me. And since I was propping myself on my elbow, I was eye-level with her chest.

"Edward, are you okay?" she asked me sweetly, her fingers brushing the hair off my face. I leaned in and my face was where it belonged… _smack dab right in her cleavage…_

_Hmmm…. Heaven…_

"Since it looks like you are not going anywhere… can you at least make room for me to come to bed?" she asked me still stroking my hair.

_She didn't need to ask twice…_

With my face still planted in her cleavage, I wrapped the free arm around her and carried her over my form to place her gently on my other side.

"Edward… nothing like that tonight…" she said in playful warning tone…

"Fine, fine. A guy can wish though, can't he?" I said, my voice muffled because of my position.

I caressed the swells with my nose, breathing in her scent; then brushed the hardened nipples through the fabric of her top with my lips, causing them to harden even more. I heard her breath hitch.

Satisfied with my work I raised myself to become eye-level with her, "Soon, love. I can't wait to make you mine…" I whispered in her ear causing her to shiver.

"I need sometime, Edward… I can't jump into that kind of relationships right away…" she said in a guarded tone.

"I'll wait forever for you, love… don't worry." I whispered against her neck causing another shiver to run through her body.

She ran her fingers through my hair making me relax on top of her. I shifted some of my weight till only my head was resting on her chest as she continued to stroke my hair.

I was lost in the dream world shortly after that. I woke up when Bella was squirming her way out of bed to the whimpering JC. I took a look at my watch and saw that it was around 2:30 am.

"Do you need anything, love?" I asked her in a gruff voice rubbing my face with my hand.

"Sorry to wake you, Edward. I'm fine thank you… go to sleep… I'll be there in a minute. I need to give JC his bottle and change him." She answered softly as she sat on the bed with the already prepared bottle.

She sat at the foot of the bed giving JC his bottle. I was so sleepy so I crawled to where she was sitting and placed my head in her lap; burring my face in her small tummy and just beside JC's small legs.

I couldn't help but hum in pleasure as her scent hit me again. I was about to doze off when Bella called my name softly asking me to move so she can get up and change JC. I went back to lay my head on my pillow still monitoring her with half leaded eyes.

After she placed the sleeping JC in his basinet, I opened my arms for her and she came to lay in between them placing her head in the crook of my neck taking deep breaths.

"I can't wait for the night-feeding to stop… they are killing me." she said, her voice muffled against my neck.

I tightened my arms around her and rubbed her back with one of my arms, "I'm sure they will end soon, he's gonna be a big boy soon and you won't have to do all those things…" I whispered against her hair.

I didn't want to scare her off by telling her that I was hoping to have so many kids with her… because who was I kidding… I wanted them with her… I wanted to help her bring them all up… I wasn't going to miss out on any of those experiences with her…

She kissed my neck softly, "I love it when you hold me like this. I feel safe." she placed another kiss just below my ear and then nuzzled my neck again.

"I love holding you, too…" I said stroking her hair this time.

I buried my face in her hair falling into blissful sleep. I woke up again as I heard someone calling my name… I groaned and I nuzzled something soft with my nose. I lifted my head up a bit to see that I had my head placed on Bella's left breast while my hand was clutching her right one with my fist.

I looked up to see Bella smiling at me, "You know… I should be charging you for using me as your pillow. I thought I was supposed to be sleeping on your chest and not the other way around." She said playfully, pushing me to my back and weighing me down with her torso.

"Well, that's the idea, essentially. But you were just too comfortable for your own damn good. And I couldn't resist." I said with my eyes closed and a smile on my face.

"What time is it?" I asked her with my eyes still closed.

"5:30. It's early if you want to go to sleep…" she said as she trailed her hand down my body to caress the bulge in my pants with her hand.

_Shit!_

I involuntarily bucked my hips upwards, "Bella…" I said in a warning tone.

"Hmm?" she asked me innocently without ceasing her movement, but grabbing hold of me and stroking me firmly.

"Love, what are you doing? We ca- UGHN" I grunted as she sped up her pace…

"I think I owe you this since I didn't give it to you at the dinner table that night… just, let me take care of you for a second." She said as she took my earlobe into her mouth nibbling on it slightly and speeding up her pace a bit more.

The sensation she was giving me was beyond ecstasy. I was teetering so close on the ledge of heaven when she whispered to me, "I just wish it was another part of my body that was doing this right now…" and she bit my earlobe hard.

And I came undone.

I grunted, falling into the depths of pleasure so hard that my whole body was shaking from the intense of my release. She continued to stroke me and kiss me as I rode the waves of pleasure.

Then she stopped; waiting for me to come down from my high. I was still panting when I opened my eyes to look at the little ­_she-devil_ that was sprawled over my body. She had a mischievous grin gracing her face. Then she approached my face kissing me sweetly on the lips, "Good morning, honey. Did you sleep well?" she asked me innocently as if I just woke up.

I narrowed my eyes at her, "Good morning, indeed, love… this is indeed a good morning…" I held her close to me. I still couldn't comprehend what the little minx had just done to me.

She giggled softly and got up from our bed, making her way to the bathroom, "I'll take a quick shower before JC is up and then the bathroom is all yours…" she winked at me. With that she took her clothes and went to the bathroom.

I stayed in bed listening to the running water.

That was one _amazing_ morning indeed.

The next few days went by in a haze. Chief Swan had to spend yet another night at work, to my greatest pleasure, which allowed Bella to spend yet another night at our house.

Bella had told me that her father took the news of her being my 'girlfriend' with great reluctance; still not fully trusting me. He actually reminded me again of my unpaid speeding tickets.

As for Emmett, when he heard the news about our new status, he 'patted' me on the back with his small hand… yammering about that maybe it was time for me to commit to football since I was committing to girls, now; telling me that the Coach is waiting for me to sign in and that my locker was still intact.

Rose, of course, gave Bella the 'what the fuck happened to you to accept him as your boyfriend' look and congratulated her. But not before giving me the famous warning look everyone has been gracing me with lately.

The 'Mohicans' were out of the picture, thank goodness. We had the chance to meet Paul, who was a sweet kid. Apparently this Jacob character had to take care of his dad.

Newton got the medal of 'Being the Most Persistence Prick' of the year; he kept trying to talk to my Bella and making conversations with her, or offering to help her with her study. But Jasper had my back in those periods, which made me feel really better.

Bella seemed happy during the week; apparently she was expecting someone to visit from Phoenix and she couldn't wait to introduce us to each other.

I was a bit edgy when I heard the news. And I had this ridiculous feeling that something bad was about to happen. She didn't mention his name or anything and I was in anticipation that this could be the mysterious 'JD' I once heard her talking to over the phone.

Then Friday came; and I couldn't be happier. We made our way home and I was all but bouncing in place that this would be the first weekend to spend with Bella as my girlfriend.

"If your dad is out for the night, you'll spend the night at our house. No arguments, love. You argued every time and every time you ended up doing what we told you to do in the first place." I said sternly. I didn't want to spoil our fun with arguments.

"Well, you see, Edward. JD; my friend from Phoenix, the one I told you about, will be arriving today… and I want to be home to welcome him." She said smugly.

"I already discussed this with Charlie and he's okay with it." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, as if to indicate that the decision was taken.

_Oh, how wrong she thought…_

"We'll see about that…" I mumbled, loud enough for her to hear, with a mischievous grin making her squirm in her seat.

Once we reached her house, I parked the car and we did the usual of getting the things to her house.

"Love, I'll go take a shower, change and come back." I gave her a chaste kiss and made my way home.

Once I was done with my business, which took a bit longer than I thought, having to sort out my laundry as well.

I made my way to her house. Before I reached the front door an idea crossed my mind that would definitely change her mind about her safety being intact.

I approached the front door, which was unlocked _as usual… no surprise there…_

I sneaked in and heard clattering in the kitchen. I stole a glance from the side of the door, still not going in fully, and crept silently behind her.

_This will teach her to leave the door opened again…_

Her back was facing me, so I grabbed her shoulders forcefully scaring her and making her scream.

"Gottcha!" I growled at her. I looked at her about to burst out laughing, when I saw her still looking frightened; but the strange thing was, that she wasn't looking at me… but just over my shoulder.

That's when I heard a low menacing voice from behind me, "Wrong!" I spun around to meet a pair of cold blue eyes blazing with anger and a fist coming to greet my face.

And everything went dark.

**End Chapter Eleven**

**AN: What did you think of the chapter, how did you find the girlfriend/boyfriend thing… and what about the sleepover… ;) was the lemon okay… who wants more o' dat ;) *evil grin* R&R, please…**


	13. Amazing Recommendation!

To all my sweet readers and amazing reviewers :)

The amazing **Lillie Cullen**, the writer of "A Lesson In Release" and its sequel "A Lesson In Fate", had put a recommendation on her blogger for my story...

_**The Secret Twilight Garden Blog... which is a sweet tribute to the world of Twilight...**_

_**www (dot) secret-twilight-garden (at) blogspot (dot) com**_

_**And this is what she posted in her recommendation…**_

"_You Don't Know Anything" by TwiDi is a terrific AH story about Bella, a 17 year old girl living in Phoenix with her pregnant mother Renee and stepfather Phil. When her parents were killed in a car accident, the baby survived. Not wanting to lose her baby brother to the foster care system, she claims him as her own and moves to Forks with her dad while secretly working on adopting him as soon as she turns 18._

While Bella is facing the responsibilities of parenting, she also has to deal with the stigma of being a teenage mother. Her harshest critic initially is Edward, the cocky jerk who lives next door. His cruel words know no bounds, but Bella gives it right back to him in a way that makes the reader proud.

It doesn't take long for Edward to come to his senses and start falling for Bella. The author's characterization of Edward in this story is terrific. Equal parts possessive, jealous Domward and loving, caring stand up guy, Edward enthusiastically takes on the father figure role in little JC's life in a way few teenage boys would be able to handle, especially considering that the baby is not even his. As much as you want to slap Edward around for being so bossy, you want to kiss him and give him a medal for how he pampers and protects Bella and JC.

Hiding JC's true origins is not the only problem lurking on the horizon for Bella, however, and the latest chapter will leave you gasping for breath and holding onto your seat. Currently 11 chapters in, it is safe to say that this story still has a lot of ground to cover, and this reader is looking forward to every minute of it.

Please read and review ~ make sure to tell her you found her in The Garden!"

I just wanted to thank her for this amazing gesture and kind words… I never thought such lovely words could be used to describe my humble work. So… _thank you so much, Lillie :)_

xxxxxxxx

And I'd like to say 'thank you' to all of you who are sticking with my story… I'd like to leave a small sneak peak from the next chapter as a treat to you all…

Here it is…

"How did I start this, fuckhead?! I was fooling around with my _girlfriend_ only to get punched in a face by a total loon!" I seethed at him trying to get Bella's hand off my face.

"Well, if you hadn't caused her to scream, I wouldn't have knocked your lights out! You scared the shit out of her, _boyfriend…"_ he mocked.

I saw red… I wanted to get up to _knock his lights out_ but Bella grabbed hold of my T-shirt pulling me to her, "Stop it, Edward. What's done is done. Let me take care of this before it becomes more swollen. Sit back." She said in a firm voice.

She held my head and placed the undamaged side on her chest and placed the frozen peas on the swollen side. I hissed at the contact and placed my hand on hers to hold it in place.

"I know it might be too late to ask, but… do you feel any dizziness? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" she asked me as she started stroking my hair again and I closed my eyes humming in contentment.

"No, I'm fine, love." I said quietly.

"God, you're such a baby. Bells… are you sure that he was a football player?" he joked.

"Well, I'm not the one who just yelled 'sorry', am I, _Jasmine_?" I quipped.

"Stop calling me that, _Edwina…"_ 'Blue Eyed Peas' retorted.

I gave him 'popeye the one-eyed sailor' glare and he glared back. I _really_ wanted to get up and pummel the guy. God, he was asking for it. But my angel was all uncomfortable with the whole glaring thing, so I wouldn't think she'd appreciate it if I started throwing punches at him.

"You guys! Would you please start acting like grown ups and stop acting like insolent kids? I already have a kid asleep upstairs and I definitely don't need another two to take care of." She pleaded with the both of us.

"Speaking of the 'kid upstairs', Bells, can I go see _my boy?_" the asshole, giving me a pointed smile.

xxxxxxxxxxx

There you go, sweeties… I guess some of you already figured out who that was ;)

Love ya all…

Dina


	14. Chapter 12

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born baby brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, especially, with green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her… EXB, AH AU OOC, Jealous/Dom/Possessive Edward.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: to all of you my amazing readers… this is one of my really long chapters ;) it's gonna be in both POVs… so many surprises, sweet banters and a few limy situations. And of course, more Jealous and possessive Edward moments will emerge and there will be, yet again, a new mean cliffy…**

**Also… I was surprised by a PM that had told me that I was nominated for Best All Human Razzle Dazzle Awards. Thank you to all of you who had supported my work…**

**Voting starts on June 30 and the link is… http://razzledazzleawards(dot)webs(dot)com/**

**Also, another sweet reader had told me that she will be nominating my story on Bellies awards :)**

**Link… ****http://www (dot) thecatt (dot) net/tw/default**** (dot) aspx**

**To those who reviewed, I name…**

**faerie kitten, Cydryna Marie, jedigirlsc, laurajaexo, Kerry Hale, augustine4, the-great-pretender-09, Soccer11, pixielovestoshop, christine30974, babylopez2008, SecretEmpath, lisa430, BellaCullenPR, jenellebelle, luv4edwardcullen, GraciexLovesxYou, ajayee, SweetHart2BME, TheMissSmith, Litany Gone, bellaedwardfan78, Lillie Cullen (special thanks), SharkGurl, AmaterasuSpiritWolf, pixietwilighterforever, xxx-Sarah-xx, pippyXYZ, Lies2me, Hope4more, mamato, Mrs Muze, yankeerose, -CAUTION-dazzler, Mandav, iloverobpattinson, Kynicole, MandiLM14, trustme83, alwayswatchingtv, jktwi, Jasper winked, MeetMeInMontauk, blubuttrfly10, rockstgrl69, babygirljen6, bastos, berdb, jayc3218, Drama4Twilight, Lone-leeHeart's4894, Loves2Read205, XteamXjasperX, Giaah, cascsiany, tyetyegunther, Kimbercat98, mommytwilight, kuntrygal, cinnyshy, mangl234, arielellane111, effie23, pillow912, twilightmom23, xfarahx, hazelbunny, aranona, shippyheart, (anonymous reviewer), LeLe1103, Breath-of-twilight, Drowning In Shallow Water-, ange87, In Awe Of Fire, SoundsLikeAPesonalProblem., Nabookie, Nessa19, FrenzzyforEdward, , MyriadProBold, kemd, SnapCrackledThePop, IMSandEAMforever, EdwardsCandyCane, Lady BG, Jaspers-new wife, AuroraJean, ..RealxXx, LSKnh, Jewels64, BrookeVee, JasmineMarie84, seraphslastkiss, LindseyRae, Dobrodey, biteme112, deeyahna, eyes 4 edward only, x TWILIGHT x OBSESSED x, LiveLaughLurve3, Captured-Angel3, nuthinbutagirl, Cullenfreak212, Kimmie38, lovingagoodstory, gossip_bangkok, RoseArcadia, eliza6801, gidget's evil twin, mad4hugh, acw1, OECD, hlleopard, isa90, Lily77974, rchpbabe, Epatz, Weolynn, blahblahblah26, StormyDawn, tahliaa. and Jen2112**

**You are all AMAZING! You did wonders to my story believe me… it's with your continuous support that this story has become what it is now :)**

**Also, checkout the stories of my friends… kuntrygal, ericastwilight, faerie kitten, Cydryna Marie and XFrEaKyDeAkY101x they are all awesome :)**

**Warning! This chapter has inappropriate language and HAS some limy situations, so consider this as a fair warning.**

**Faffi (xfarahx), thank you so much for being the amazing beta you are… I really couldn't have done it without you ;)**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Twelve**

**EPOV**

Ugh…

What the…

My head fucking hurts and my eye feels like it's about to pop out of its socket…

_Fucking A…_

At least they were considerate enough to lay my head on something soft… hmm

"… How could you do that? I told you that he was coming? He was just playing around?" my angel fumed.

"Bells, I told you. I heard you screaming and I didn't think before I acted. It looked like he was attacking you. And I guess with the stories of the murders… I just… sorry, I really don't know what to say any more…" the jerk_'s_ voice sounded anything but sorry… he actually had the audacity to chuckle at the end of that sentence.

_We'll see about that when I get up, Jerk!_

I groaned loudly trying to open my eyes. Ugh! Too damn bright… shut the fucking lights off! I buried my face in the soft pillow to protect my eyes from the bright room.

"Shut the light off… I think they are hurting his eyes…" my guardian angel spoke stroking my hair softly.

_Thank you, Love…_

I removed my face from its sanctuary and started to open my eyes. I blinked a couple of times before I saw my angel staring down at me with worry clouding her eyes. I tried to smile but it turned into a wince.

_My face fucking hurts!_

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty…" 'Blue Eyed Pea' quipped in a sing-a-song tone.

_I'm gonna pummel the bastard to shreds!_

"James! No need to act like an ass! You have done enough damage already… if that punch leaves any scarring… I'm gonna make sure to give you one to match it!" she fumed at him holding me to her chest… _so that's my soft pillow_.

Is this 'James' the same 'JD' she was talking to on the phone laughing and confiding in him…

I shifted my gaze to land on the Jerk that was standing by my feet smirking at me. I locked gaze with him and smiled.

He looked at me confused and I took this as my opportunity.

I moved my leg fast and tripped him that he landed on his ass with a loud yelp. I pounced on him pushing him on his stomach and I twisted his arm behind his back making him groan in pain.

"Edward! What the hell are you doing?" Bella shrieked getting up and trying to get me off the 'James' fellow.

"You were saying, _Jasmine…_ did I hear a 'sorry'…" I seethed in a low voice tightening my hold on his arm.

"Get off me, Penny-hea- UGH!" 'Jasmine' tried to tackle me, but earned another hard twist of the arm.

"Don't you dare call me that… only my girl is allowed to call me that, _Blondie_… now, apologize or I'll dislocate your shoulder... APOLOGIZE!" I roared at him, feeling Bella's hands trying to remove me from my position above him.

"Edward! Please, he's sorry. Please, let him go. Come on." She begged pulling on my T-shirt.

"Please, Edward… for me…" I looked at her to see her eyes welling with tears. She looked really scared.

"Not before he apologizes. Do it, Jasmine! NOW!" I growled at him twisting his arm more.

"SORRY! Damn it! Let go! I said _Sorry_!" he yelled and I let him go.

I got up panting and took a couple of steps back to make room for him to get up. Bella stood beside me trying to place a bag of frozen peas on my swollen cheek.

"I can't believe you two are acting like Neanderthals!" she mumbled as Jasmine got up to sit on one of the chairs in the sitting room leaving the large sofa for me to sit in with her beside me trying to assess the damage.

"HE STARTED IT!" that James fellow and I yelled at the same time pointing at each other…

_God… I feel like I'm back in kindergarten!_

We glared at each other; and from the corner of my eye I caught Bella rolling her eyes at us.

"How did I start this, fuckhead?! I was fooling around with my _girlfriend_ only to get punched in the face by a total loon!" I seethed at him trying to get Bella's hand off my face.

"Well, if you hadn't caused her to scream, I wouldn't have knocked your lights out! You scared the shit out of her, _boyfriend…"_ he mocked.

I saw red… I wanted to get up to _knock his lights out_ but Bella grabbed hold of my T-shirt pulling me to her, "Stop it, Edward. What's done is done. Let me take care of this before it becomes more swollen. Sit back." She said in a firm voice.

She held my head and placed the undamaged side on her chest and placed the frozen peas on the swollen side. I hissed at the contact and placed my hand on hers to hold it in place.

"I know it might be too late to ask, but… do you feel any dizziness? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" she asked me as she started stroking my hair again and I closed my eyes humming in contentment.

"No, I'm fine, love." I said quietly.

"God, you're such a baby. Bells… are you sure that he was a football player?" he joked.

"Well, I'm not the one who just yelled 'sorry', am I, _Jasmine_?" I quipped.

"Stop calling me that, _Edwina…"_ 'Blue Eyed Peas' retorted.

I gave him 'popeye the one-eyed sailor' glare and he glared back. I _really_ wanted to get up and pummel the guy. God, he was asking for it. But my angel was all uncomfortable with the whole glaring thing, so I don't think she'd appreciate it if I started throwing punches at him.

"You guys! Would you please start acting like grown ups and stop acting like insolent kids? I already have a kid asleep upstairs and I definitely don't need another two to take care of." She pleaded with the both of us.

"Speaking of the 'kid upstairs', Bells, can I go see _my boy?_" the asshole quipped, giving me a pointed smile.

_Fucker!_

My body couldn't help but tense right away… _his boy?_

Bella had told me that the baby's father was out of the picture! Damn it! Why couldn't he just shut his mouth!

I jerked myself off the couch and pounced on the asshole, taking him by surprise and slamming him back into the wall. I held his head with one of my hands giving him no choice but to look at me.

"He's not your boy, fuckhead… So, don't call him that in front of me. Sure you had the chance to be with her before… and it looks like you've already screwed it up… so, let it go… I'm not gonna repeat myself. The only reason why I haven't punched the air out of you, is because _she…"_ I gestured with my head to the girl, who was trying to get me off of her friend; and I kept my eyes locked with his as I continued,

"… feels that she owes you for your help in the _past… _and I _emphasize_ on the word _past_ here, because right now… she's with _me_. So, let's make this clear… only I can say that JC is _my boy… _I… and I _alone_… can say that _she's_ _my_ girl…" my tone was a harsh whisper.

I looked at the girl who was still tugging at my T-shirt as she spoke, "Edward, he didn't mean anything by it. He only said that because he knew JC since birth. Come on, let him go… damn it, Edward! Let him GO!" she yelled the last part tugging harshly at me, causing me to almost trip.

Bella nodded to him to go upstairs, but he adjusted his clothes and smirked at me, "Oh, I think this is going to be an interesting year, Bells."

"Just because she's your girlfriend, it doesn't mean that she's stopped being _my_ friend. I don't care that you're her boyfriend… you've only been with her for what… _a few weeks_? Well, I have known her for _years!_ JC _is_ my boy. And that's that. Even though I'm not the father… I'm always gonna treat him like _my own._" He said sharply standing in front of me and locking gaze with me.

_Hmmm… I don't think I like you, boy…_

"Edward, James is right." I whipped my head around to glare at her and I saw her take a step back.

_What did she say?_

She looked at James and then back at me to see that I was narrowing my eyes at her, "Yes, Edward. James will always be part of JC's life. Hell, I even named JC after him! _James Carter!_ So, he's going to be in JC's life. Deal with it! James, get your butt upstairs and say hello to _my_ baby." She told him quietly as she gave him a glare.

I was still glaring at her as James made his way upstairs. She sighed and grabbed my hand to lead me to the couch. We sat down and she grabbed my head and rested it on her chest to inspect the damage once more.

I was still seething! I couldn't believe that she actually took his side… I raised my face to see her staring down at me with a weary smile.

"I told you that the dad is out of the picture… JD is the friend who supported me since JC was born." She said softly as she stroked my hair, causing me to relax a bit.

"James is a really close friend… just like Jasper. Actually, James and I are closer than Jasper and I were… so, please don't be hard on him… remember we are still in our first steps as boyfriend and girlfriend… don't ruin this over some stupid macho stuff…" she said jadedly, "You know that you are already an important part of my life as well as JC's… and it's something I'm happy about… don't make me regret it." She said sadly.

I sighed and closed my eyes leaning into her chest again as she pressed the frozen bag to my swollen face, "Sorry, love. It's just the way we met for the first time was a bit un-orthodox… and he's just pushing my buttons. I'll try to keep my temper in check. But I can't promise that I'll be able to restrain myself if he acted like a jerk again." I said resignedly, "And JC is _my boy_ and _not his"_ I said stubbornly but in a childish manner causing her to chuckle a bit.

I smiled up at her, knowing that I was forgiven. I looked at her and noticed that she had changed her school clothes. She was wearing a blue plaid shirt which now had 4 buttons opened due to the last encounter, a nice generous view of her cleavage met me and I couldn't help the crooked smile that spread across my lips.

When she noticed my ogling, she blushed beautifully and tried to reach the buttons to fix their state. But before she reached them, I grabbed her hand and held it to my chest. I locked eyes with her as I shifted my head slowly so that my nose was now poking one of the swells of her breasts.

"You know…" I whispered still locking gaze with her and still poking her with my nose, "This reminds me of the first time I have met JC… remember the dinner at our house?" I asked her as I inhaled her scent.

I could feel her breathing accelerating, as I continued, "Your baby was teasing me, you know. He was playing dirty… remember what he was doing?" I asked her softly as I pressed my nose more to her swell.

"Umm… nn… no. I- I don't" she stuttered. My smile got wider. Still locking her gaze with mine; I leaned more into her and pressed my lips to her breast giving it a wet kiss. I heard her gasp then saw her close her eyes trying to control her breathing, "You know… now that I think more about it… it was more like this…" I opened my mouth a bit a attached it to her swell suckling on it like JC did before and closing my eyes.

I stopped my ministrations to look up at her. Her eyes were closed and she still was out of breath. And I couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.

I closed my eyes then and inhaled her lovely scent. She smelled like baby powder and heaven.

_My heaven!_

I could feel the hand holding the frozen peas bag trembling. I took the hand that was held to my chest and raised it to my mouth to kiss its palm and then spread soft butterfly kisses over each knuckle.

I looked up and saw her looking at me through eyes hooded with lust. I lowered her hand again to my chest and leaned up to kiss her softly on the lips, "Thank you for taking care of me, love…" I whispered against her lips.

"Um… no problem. Let's see if it still hurts…" she said in a hushed voice against my lips then moved them to brush them gently against the side of my mouth.

I hummed as she removed the bag away from my face and started spraying my tender skin with soft kisses leaving a blazing trail as she went. My face moved to nuzzle her neck and I planted a few open-mouthed kisses there.

I heard her moan and I couldn't help but smile wider.

_I was definitely going where I wanted…_

"You know, love…" I whispered against her chest again, as I nuzzled her other breast giving the swell more sloppy kisses.

She hummed in question closing her eyes and leaning her head to rest it on mine.

"Maybe James coming here is a good thing… he can take care of JC while momma and poppa have their grownup time…" I said as I gave a lick to the other swell.

"Uh… Jam… Shit! James! Oh God! Edward, we can't do that now!" she snapped out of her trance and tried to sit up straight buttoning her shirt.

I cursed under my breath!

_I think I just won the prize…_

Yeah, that's right…

_I was holding the first prize for 'The Idiot who had Cock-Blocked himself'!_

_How thick can I get! _I should have kept my big yap shut and enjoyed the moment while it lasted.

I groaned at my stupidity; making her think I was still in pain.

"Oh, Edward, I'm sorry… it still hurts?" She said apologetically as she ran her fingers tenderly over the swollen flesh beside my eye, "I guess you'll be getting a black eye…" she sighed and tried to stand up.

I held her in place, "I'm fine… and where are you going?!" I asked her holding her to me. And as if on cue, there was a knock at the door.

_Fuck! _

I thought the Chief was out for the day…

My problem was 'dissolved' immediately.

"I'm going to open the door and then go check on JC…" she got up and went to open the door.

"Hey, Bells! Thank you for calling me… Where is my cousin?!" Jazz bellowed from the doorway.

"Hey, Jasper. You are welcome. James is checking on JC upstairs." Bella answered as she hugged Alice and ushered her in.

"Where is that cousin of yours, Jazz? Is he worth snatching for our football team?" Emmett roared from behind Alice as he came in with Rose on his tale.

"My cousin, apparently, has _already_ been snatched by Port Angeles High…" Jasper said placing his coat on the hanger.

Looks like he still hasn't seen me, _"Jimmy Shorts_, get your cute butt down here this instant!" Jasper hollered and stopped dead as he saw me.

"WHOOAA! Dude, what happened to your face?! Did you run into a brick wall or something?" he joked as he came closer to inspect the injury with the others following behind him and gasping as they saw my face.

"Apparently, _Jimmy Shorts_ happened to me. The asshole punched me when I surprised Bella in her kitchen thinking that I was an attacker!" I snapped at Jasper.

Emmett barked a laugh. And soon all of them were laughing along with him.

Even my angel! She came to sit with me trying to keep a straight face. But I saw that she was trying to keep her smile from showing as she checked on my face. I narrowed my eyes at her and saw that she was blushing. She's laughing at me when she was the reason I was in this state…

_Oh, we'll see about that, love._

I continued when their laughter quieted down, "And… did I hear you right? He's your _cousin_?!" I asked him as I got off the couch making my way to take a look at the damage in the hallway mirror.

Damn! That's nasty! I hope that it will look better in the morning. Maybe dad can give me something for the swelling.

"Yep. He's my cousin. I told Alice about him, didn't I, darlin'?" Jasper asked my sister giving her a wink.

She gave him a knowing smile and nodded her head.

"What's with 'All that Jazz' I'm hearing…" Jasmine strolled down the stairs making his way to his cousin.

I glared at the both of them as they shook hands patting each other on the back. Emmett introduced himself and they started chatting… _completely ignoring me_. I saw Alice and Rose making their way upstairs, when I felt my angel's presence beside me.

"How are you feeling now?" she asked me softly, grabbing my hand to lead me to the kitchen.

She sat me down on one of the chairs and went to one of the cabinets, "I have some aspirin here… oh, here it is. I hope this will help if you have a headache…" she finished with a sad smile.

She handed me the 2 pills and a glass of water. I took them and gulped down the water quickly. I sighed closing my eyes and placed my head on my arm on the table making sure to keep the damaged side upwards. My head was pounding and I waited as the aspirin took effect.

I felt fingers running through my hair again and I hummed in satisfaction. I smiled with my eyes still closed.

"Are you okay, Edward?" she whispered, "Do you want me to call your dad?" she asked me in a sad voice as she kept stroking my hair.

I kept my eyes closed and answered, "I'm fine, love… it's just that my head hurts a bit. I'll be fine, don't worry." I answered in a low voice.

Her hand stilled and I heard her sniff. My eyes shot open and I bolted up sitting straight in my chair. I looked at her and saw her eyes beginning to well with tears as she averted her eyes from meeting mine.

"It's all my fault. You are all bruised and hurt because of me. I shouldn't have screamed…" she sniffled some more before she buried her face in her hands and started sobbing.

_Fuck!_

"Hey… hey… shhhh, shhhh. Love, please don't cry…" I got up and pulled her into my arms stroking her hair.

"Love, look at me…" I spoke softly. She looked at me with remorse and I felt my heart sink to my feet. Her eyes were red and brimmed with fresh tears; her face was stained with tears leaking down her soft cheeks. I cupped her face and wiped the tears with my thumbs, "Love, what happened is _not_ your fault… although I could say that I had 'told you so' about the door being locked… what if I was a real attacker… what if James wasn't here to protect you… I can't even imagine how I would feel if something had actually happened to you" I spoke softly as fresh tears streamed down her face.

"I only want what's best for you. I don't want you to feel guilty for what happened to me… I just want you to be careful next time you are home, _if I dare to leave you alone again_." I joked as I kissed her forehead.

"Kay… would you please call your dad? Let him check on you… I just want to make sure you're okay. I don't want my _boyfriend_ to feel indisposed because of me… I know you are not feeling well because I have seen James throw punches before…" she begged me with her eyes as she sniffled again.

"Love, I'm fine. Really I don't need my dad to check on me…" I assured her.

"Please, Edward. I'll feel a lot better if he takes a look at this." She pleaded with me again.

"Love, don't be stubborn! When we go home for the evening, I'll-" I was telling her as I was cut off rudely by the cause of this mayhem.

"Hey! What the fuck?! Bells, are you okay?" James bellowed as he entered the kitchen. He came near me trying to snatch _my Bella_ from my embrace.

I tightened my arms around her waist squeezing her to my body.

_She was not going anywhere._

I glared at him and growled… _I actually growled!_

"Hands off her, Jasmine…" I said in a low voice. My angel shivered in my arms and her head snapped up to look at me in surprise, "Um… Edward, did you just uh… _growl_?" she asked me trying to hide the smile in her voice.

I looked down at her with a smile and kissed both her eyes. I was glad to see the smile that had graced her lips even if it was a small one.

"What the fuck, Cullen?!" James gaped at me in surprise and then busted out laughing; getting the attention of both my brother and Jazz who had both come into the kitchen to see what was happening.

"What's up, JD?! Why are you laughing when you were yelling just a few seconds ago?" Jasper looked at him as if he'd lost his mind.

"I swear… this guy is crazy! I came into the kitchen to find Bells in his arms crying and when I tried to pull her from his grasp, he growled at me… Man! He actually _growled _at me_"_ Jasmine quipped in between the laughter fits.

_Fucker, maybe I should bite off a chunk of your arm the next time it tries to touch my Bella!_

I wasn't amused. The only reason I was allowing him to continue with his stupid barks of laughter along with the other two, was because my angel and I were locked in gaze. She was looking at me with a glassy look in her eyes and I couldn't remove my eyes from this sight.

She stood on her toes trying to reach my ear; I bent down to give her easy access, "That was so fucking sexy…" she whispered and then started nibbling and biting slightly on my ear lobe. My breath hitched and I got hard instantly.

_What a way to will the excess blood in your bruise away from it… Fuck!_

Visions of what I wanted to do to her flashed in my mind…

_Growling as I bent her down over the table claiming her relentlessly…_

_Growling her name in release as she went down on me…_

_I swear, love, you will be the death of me…_

_Fuck! I need damage Control!_

I squeezed her closer to me as she continued with her ministrations. Her face was hidden with mine; the others couldn't see what she was doing. I continued to breathe heavily and whispered to her, "Love, if you don't stop what you are doing right now… I swear I'll bend you on this fucking table and fuck you in front of your friends till you cry my name. Is that what want?" I heard her breath hitch as she shivered visibly in my arms.

I looked at the guys from the corner of my eye to see that they were still chatting and making fun not paying any attention to us. I took it as my chance. I grounded my hard on against her body, "Feel this, love… see what you're doing to me… what do you say? Want a run to see how it goes? Hmm… tell me, love… this… is all yours…" I grounded my hips into hers a few more times, only to hear her low whimpers. She whispered my name and I felt her legs tremble beneath her to lean her weight fully on me.

_That will teach my sexy minx._

I chuckled a bit regaining some of my composure, but still held her closely to me. The guys around us shifted their attention back to us, "Why were you crying, Bells? Are you okay? Um… you look… um… flushed... you _need_ anything?" Jasper asked her softly, giving me a quick glare.

My Bella made an 'umph' sound and hid her face in my chest. I chucked some more and gave the guys the 'eat shit' grin.

_I… and I alone, take care of my Bella's needs. So, fuck off!_

"She's fine, Jasper. She was just overwhelmed with what had happened earlier and she was scared when I told her that I had a headache… she wanted to call my dad to make sure that I was fine. No big deal, guys…" I said lightly as I squeezed her more to me as if to remind her of my situation.

She froze in my arms and removed her face from my chest, "I'm fine, guys. Really… it's just what Edward had told you. I'll start working on dinner for all of us in a few minutes… just give me a few minutes to umm… _handle_ my emotions…" she said softly and she stuck her face again into my chest.

_Huh! We'll see about that in a bit, love._

I glared at the guys trying to communicate the 'fuck off' message with my eyes.

God! Can't they take a hint?!

_Maybe next time I'll grab each one of them a 'When to fuck-off for Dummies' guide…_

James and Jasper gave me warning glares and led the clueless Emmett to the living room. When I heard them start their conversations again, I loosened my arms around her. I looked at her and saw her looking at me with a wicked gleam in her eyes, "Is your dad home now?" she asked me sweetly, taking me by surprise.

_What kind of question was that? If she thinks that she's gonna win the argument of my dad checking on my head now… she'd be quite mistaken!_

I thought for a minute, "Umm… I guess…" I answered her in a form of a question. She smiled mischievously at me, "Because you need to go ask him to take a look at your head…" she said sweetly again.

"I told you, love. I'm not going now. I-" I was cut off with her lips crashing to mine.

I moaned into her mouth as she entangled her fingers in my hair pulling me to her. This wasn't helping in my situation at all. My hard on was still prominent from moments ago. She moved her mouth from mine to plant some open-mouthed kisses along my jaw trailing to my ear…

"Edward… would you please let your dad take a look? Hmm?" she begged softly as she nibbled on my lobe like she did before.

My breath caught in my throat again. As I opened my mouth to assure her that I was fine when I felt her hand reach down my pants; _to where I needed the most attention._

She started to massage me softly through my pants and my eyes rolled to the back of my head. If there was any coherency left in my brains, this totally removed any traces of it.

"Shit!" I cursed under my breath as I tried to remove myself from her grasp. She was persistent and I was close to blowing my load. She rubbed me harder causing a low growl to rumble in my chest.

She shivered, "Tell me, baby… would you have been growling like that if you have pounded into me on this table with me screaming your name?" she whispered squeezing my hardness in her hand and stroking me faster as she licked my pulse point.

Shit I was so close…

"Hey, you guys. What's for dinner?" my airhead of a brother hollered from the living room and almost, literally, caused my blood to freeze. She stopped, startled just like me by my stupid brother.

"Fuck!" I cursed in a hushed voice. I was panting heavily.

I took a few calming breaths and yelled, "We'll let you know in a minute!"

I looked at my angel who was smirking at me, "Okay! Fine! I'm going." I snapped at her, "but, I'm not happy about it!" I gave her a pointed look.

She reached up planed a kiss on my good cheek, "Thanks, baby. Now go see your dad. I have so many things to do till you're back, if you want to take a nap too." She said as she led me out of the kitchen.

I narrowed my eyes at her. _Was she trying to get rid of me?_

When she saw my look, she continued, "I mean… you already are in no shape to stay here right now… I'll go take a quick shower myself, check on JC and start dinner. I'll make dinner for us all. And when you see your parents, tell them they are welcome to join us. They have always welcomed us on their table… it's time I repaid them. Your mom needs a break" she winked at me.

We looked at the guys in the living room, who were starting at us with mixed emotions. I ignored them, "Fine. I'll go ask dad to take a look at my face and then I'll be right back. I want to help you with dinner." I said pointedly.

"It's okay, Edward. We'll help her and keep her company. It will give us time to catch up with each other." 'Blue-eyed Peas' said with a smirk.

Okay, I don't like this… _not one bit!_

I ignored him, "I'll be right back. I won't take long… I'm only gonna ask dad if he can give me something and I'll be _right back._" I emphasized on the last part to make sure that he can hear me well.

"Em, why don't you help your brother? I think he looks a bit disoriented… Jasper and I will start working with Bells. And you know we can set up for my _sleep over…"_ he patted my brother on the back.

Sleepover…

_Over my dead rotten body!_

I couldn't take this, "He's not sleeping here with you alone in this house." I said directing my words to my Bella.

"Edward! I already told Charlie and he said it's fine. Besides… where would he stay?! He can't sleep in the streets" she snapped at me putting her hands on her waist.

_What? The streets are beneath this scumbag now?!_

_Fine!_

"Fine! I'll speak to my mother; I'm sure he can use the spare bedroom. But you are not spending the night with this guy alone… unless you'd let me stay here… which I'm sure your father won't have." I stated glaring at the smirking guy.

"Oh, Cullen. That's so sweet of you to offer." Fuckhead quipped.

_Oh, yeah… you'll see how sweet I'll be in our next game._

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Oh, I'm not sweet at all, believe me. I'd rather have you thrown to the street, if it wasn't to make Bella sad. But mark my words, this…" I said as I pointed to my now black eye, "… won't go by like this… just remember that." I spoke with a smirk as I made my way out the door dragging my Bella behind me.

"Love, I'll see you in a bit, okay. If you need anything, call me." I said pointedly.

She nodded. I leaned in, pecked her on the lips and made my way to my house.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**BPOV**

The last few days were crazy to say the least.

Charlie was so engrossed in his case that I haven't seen much of him lately. Although over the last few days he kept steeling glances at me whenever he was around me and throwing really weird questions my way…

And when I say strange… I mean like…

'_How was your pregnancy?'… _

'_Were there any hard months on you?'…_

'_Did you have to stay in bed at anytime of it?'… _

And _'Did you go into labour right after the car crash or did you stay at the hospital first and went to labour later?'_…

I'm telling you… _weird._

JC has been growing beautifully. And I kept thanking my luck that I had Dr. Cullen for a neighbour. JC was around 2 months old now; and some of his shots were due. Dr. Cullen was sweet enough to give them to him at home and fix all his records.

With the adoption still in progress, I was really edgy about going to hospitals and doing all the paperwork. I always tried to have Dr. Cullen do all the checkups at home; and up till this moment… it's working fine.

During last week's call, JD had told me that Tanya was facing some problems with some social workers… but nothing that she couldn't handle. He was always trying to change the subject whenever I brought up JC's adoption.

JD… was definitely something else. Over the few weeks I was away from him, he seemed to have changed. His voice seemed more serene; he sounded happier and more at ease…

He claimed that he had met this amazing girl on the plane to Phoenix and apparently they hit it off right away. He told me that she had convinced him to apply for a spot in the Port Angeles High football team. Since she claims that it would give him more options when applying to Universities.

When I had told him about my encounter with Jasper, he was thrilled that I had someone close to lean on since I'm far away from him.

Then after that, he spoke to me again to tell me that he had talked to Jasper and that I was to stay away from Edward. Apparently, Jasper had filled him in on what Edward was all about. Causing me to start acting all defensive about my 'relationship' with Edward, even though it wasn't an actual relationship…

_It's true…_

Edward's relationship with me was still a bit uncanny to say the least… the exchanges between us were intense and unheard of. He seemed always wanting to be more involved with me. _Not that I minded_.

I mean he was the hottest guy I have ever seen in my life… and his interest in me has thrown me off. It really was uneasy for me to actually see his concern about JC's and my welfare… He always seemed un-phased when it came to swatting guys away from me. What he had done to those guys at the mall struck me hard.

It was unheard that a guy would claim a baby as his own just to swat guys off a girl's back! But the all the concern he has shown, has felt so real and heart felt to me. Usually I can sense when people are playing or telling the truth… and he was telling the truth. Well, at least now he is… since that day at the mall in Port Angeles… he seems to have changed _drastically!_

The fact that I now have Jasper and Alice at my side; helps me a lot. Like Jasper said… Alice was an amazing support and a great female figure to lean on when needed. When I had agreed to be Edward's girlfriend, she was the first one to congratulate me and tell me that we'd be perfect for each other. Claiming that I'll be the perfect person to set her brother straight and bring him to his old self again.

Jasper, on the other hand, freaked out completely. He had never seen Edward in any other way than a man-whore. And he was afraid that I'd end up getting hurt eventually. Even if he had seen how much Edward has changed since he had met me, it still was far-fetched that he has changed like this all of a sudden. Of course, pixie had based the reason behind all this was because we were each other's soul mates and true loves.

_My heart did the flips at the explanation she made._

_Love…_

I don't think I have ever thought of it this way… the fact that I would put 'Love' as the reason of this strange pull that I had towards Edward, really freaked me out. It was all bittersweet…

So many things have changed… Edward is not the same guy I met at the beginning. And even though I haven't known him for long… those few encounters I had with him at the beginning, gave me a good idea of what Jasper was talking about.

But I have tried to calm Jasper down by telling him that we are taking things slow, which is the truth… And he was grateful for that… but not before he went all snitch-y on me and told JD who also totally freaked out and was all but _ordering_ me to break up with this guy and stay away from him.

JD said that he knows who Edward was, but didn't elaborate more. He said that when he comes to Forks, he would explain it all.

And here I was in my own home… trying to put some distance between the most important men in my complicated life, since they were acting like the keenest of enemies even though they just met.

I brushed off my bruised and agitated Edward. Jasper had managed to have Emmett and Rose leave with him, claiming that he needed a hand since he seemed to wobble a bit.

And now here I am in my kitchen making dinner with the only people, besides Tanya, who knew my deepest secret.

"Spill, JD. First, what's the latest on the adoption?" I asked as I started working on dinner. JC was fed and changed and he was sitting in his reclined chair with us in the kitchen cooing at Alice.

"Adoption is going okay." He stated in a strained voice. I looked at him and he had this uneasy look in his eyes, like he was hiding something.

I glared at him, "If something is wrong, you need to tell me, James Damian. It's JC we're talking about… I can't lose him because you-" he cut my banter off,

"Bells! Calm down, nothing is wrong. But right now I don't want to talk about the adoption. I want to talk about this loon that you have for a boyfriend. God, Bells! What the hell were you thinking? Don't you have any self-preservation what so ever!? How can you take care of JC if you can't even take care of yourself? You're letting this-" he snapped at me, but I couldn't just let him go on. I cut in,

"James! What the hell. First off, who I choose as a boyfriend is none of your damn concern. I don't want you telling me what to do. I don't want you judging him. Because if we want to point fingers here… you were the one who had done something wrong. You punched him even though I told you that he was coming here. And if he's now having a problem accepting you, it would be entirely your fault. Plus, he wasn't like this all the time. I know Jasper told you how he acted before… but he's not like this anymore. He hasn't left my side and he was a great help for both JC and I." I seethed at him.

JD tried to cut me off but I raised my hand effectively causing him to shut his mouth, "Shut it, JD. Now, listen to me 'cause I'm gonna say this only once." I said giving him and Jasper a pointed look.

"You both are the best friends I've got in this existence. You both know who I am and how I think. Now, the fact that I have chosen Edward is completely out of my hands. Alice has explained it to you, Jasper, as 'Love'… now… I'm not gonna say that I'm in love with Edward and I'm not gonna say that I'm not! The fact that I feel a spark every time he touches me or each time I'm around him… tells me that he could be the one.

"Now, I know that he fucked up big time in the past and I'm not gonna defend him. But who can claim that he or she have never fucked up at any stage of his or her life! Each one of us has a skeleton in our closets somewhere… and some of us have a whole graveyard…" I said pointedly looking at James.

"The fact that his problems were actually seen and acknowledged by so many people… was bad luck… at least I know what he's done wrong. I'm not going to be surprised by anything because he's been like an open book to me. He's told me everything there is to tell…

"And that's not all… he's actually trying to take the right steps to change and rectify what he had done wrong. I mean, I can relay all his problems to a certain emotional breakdown that he had gone through… the fact that he hadn't handled it well, can be blamed on him and those around him who hadn't helped him see the right from wrong,

"Edward has changed. Even if it's only a short time that we have been together, I'm sure everyone can sense how much he has changed. And I'm going to give him a chance, because I know there is so much good in him. So, Edward is off limit to you. You are not to discuss this with me anymore. He's the one I have chosen and let me tell you one thing… I'm thinking seriously of letting him in on my secret." I stopped to look at the faces in front of me.

Jasper looked contemplative, like he was trying to take in everything I had said. Alice had a wide smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes. James, on the other hand, crossed his arms and glared at me.

I could tell that he was about to explode. Not that I could blame him. This was all new to him and I'm sure that he had my wellbeing in mind. I stopped chopping the vegetables and glared back.

He sighed and uncrossed his arms, "Bells, I know how much you hate it when people tell you what to do. But for the sake of my sanity… please, be careful. It's not only you I'm worried about. It's JC as well." I cut him off. I was seething that they had even thought that I'm putting JC's welfare at jeopardy. _How dare they?_

"Hey! How dare you say that, James?! How could you even think it?! Don't you know me at all?! Don't you think I have thought about this a thousand times if not million times… I can't believe you doubt my judgement, James…" I stopped my face red and my whole body was shaking.

"Sorry, Bells. I really didn't mean it like that. I'm… um… Sorry. Please, don't hate me. I…uh… I'm just worried. I'm not thinking straight…" he stammered his apology as he came to give me a hug.

"Damn it, James. Why do you have to be like this?! I know you want what's best for me and I know that you worry about me. But remember who I am and how Phil had raised me. Have some faith in me…" I said sadly as he hugged me.

"Sorry, Bells. I'm not going to doubt you. But I need you to promise me something…" he said and I nodded.

"If you ever feel like Edward is not treating you well, if you ever feel that there is something wrong… I need you to come to me right away. And if not me, you need to go to Jasper. You know we'll always have your back…" he said seriously hugging me to him tightly.

"I promise." I said softly as I sniffled a bit.

"Now, that it's all clear. What help do you need to get this fine cuisine ready?" he asked with a sparkle in his eyes that reminded me of the old James. I smiled at him as I asked him to prepare the table with Jasper. He asked me if he can call his girlfriend to join us for dinner and I agreed quickly. He told me that she's gonna come and they both will be staying at a nearby hotel.

We worked for the next couple of hours to prepare dinner. I was used to working solo at the kitchen and I was happy when Alice told me that Edward was ordered by the doctor to take a nap. It would do him good, I thought.

James gave me updates on our friends in Phoenix and he told me that Tanya had been acting strange lately. He told me that she's been talking to someone on the phone and that he didn't know who it was.

He told me about Vicky and how wonderful she was. He said that she has long red hair, blue eyes and she was tall. Basically… she was my opposite.

Then he told me something that has completely thrown me off guard. He told me that she was Edward's ex-girlfriend. According to him, she broke it off with Edward when she felt that she had thought of his more as a friend rather than a boyfriend.

Vicky… _Victoria…_

Just then I saw the connection. I remembered everything that I was told… the little snippets of information I have heard here and there. And it all made sense… the way he was talking about Edward like he knew him when he spoke to me on the phone… it all made sense!

Shit!

_It's a small world!_

He asked me if I was okay with that. I wanted to be really honest with him. So, I told him that I was fine with it. Since I haven't met Victoria before I wasn't about to judge her. And she really sounded like a sweet girl.

But I was rather worried about how Edward was gonna handle this. I was really scared…

We were done preparing everything. I took JC to give him his bath before the guests arrive. And once he was safely fed and sleeping in his bed, I heard the doorbell ring.

_Okay… here goes nothing…_

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**EPOV**

I groaned loudly as I opened my eyes.

_Ugh! That fucking hurts!_

Again!

_I'm gonna kill the bastard…_

I got up from bed after the long nap that was enforced on me and went to take a shower. I wasn't happy at all about this. I had to leave Bella work and make dinner for all of us and I didn't get the chance to help her.

_Oh well, I'm sure there will be repeats of this and I'll get the chance to help her soon…_

I got dressed quickly putting some of the ointment dad had given me and popping 2 aspirins. I made my way downstairs to see mom with a worried look on her face.

"Hey, mom. You're ready for dinner?" I asked her with a smile.

She looked at me with the same worried look which was now clouded with sadness, "Oh, honey. That looks nasty… are you sure you're up for dinner? I thought you were going to sleep the whole night… If you want I can have Alice bring you something to your bed…" she said softly with a sad smile.

"What's the matter, mom. You sound like you don't want me to come…" I quipped.

"Oh no, honey. It's just you look really tired… maybe you'd like to rest for the night…" I wanted to say something, but then dad came from behind me.

"Hey, Champ. How are you feeling? I thought you'd be sleeping the whole night…" he trailed off giving my mother a worried look, "Um… son, you're coming to dinner? Don't you think it's better if you just stay in bed and rest… that was a nasty bruise you got there… maybe it's better if you sleep it off…" he smiled at me.

_What's with the brush offs?_

I have left Bella more than I wanted and nothing will keep me away from her.

"I'm fine, dad. And yes, I'm coming to dinner" I said with a tight smile. He wanted to say something, but just before he started talking the phone rang.

"Excuse me, I need to take this." He said with a pointed look to my mother and made his way to pick up the phone.

Once I saw him disappearing into the living room, I made my way to the door not wanting any more delays.

"I'll see you there, mom. Don't be late…" I said as I got out of the door.

"Edward!" my mom called from inside, but I didn't want another speech about how nasty that scar looked or how I needed to rest.

_I wasn't that fragile for heaven's sake!_

I neared the door and head the voices chatting from inside. I smiled and opened the door, hearing my angel laughing to something someone said, "Hey, all. Don't tell me you started without-" I stopped dead in my tracks and felt the blood drain from my face.

In front of me was the last person I had expected to see.

"Hello, Edward. It's been a long time…"

**End Chapter Twelve**

AN: What did you think of the chapter, how did you find the James/Edward 'talk'… and what James's surprise… did you like the limy situations ;) who wants more o' dat ;) *evil grin* R&R, please…


	15. Important! Razzle Dazzle Awards!

To all my sweet readers and amazing reviewers :)

I'm sorry I'm posting this AN right now… but I just wanted to tell you all that the voting for the Razzle Dazzle Awards have started. As you know, You Don't Know Anything has been nominated for the 'Best All Human' story :)

The link is

http://razzledazzleawards(dot)webs(dot)com/

I'd really appreciate it if you voted for my story; I know this couldn't have gotten this far without all of your support. Also, I'd like to say 'thank you' to all of you who are sticking with my story and I'd like to welcome all the new readers…

And Since you all left me some real love the last chapter… I'd like to leave a small sneak peak from the next chapter as a treat to you all…

Here it is…

A pair of blue eyes stared at me as I stood there Dumb-struck. It all made sense now…

My mother's attempts to keep me home…

My father's advice to stay in bed…

It all made _fucking _sense now!

I shifted my eyes a bit and met the smirk of _Jasmine. _I narrowed my eyes at him, what the fuck was he smirking about?!

"It _has_ been a long time, hasn't it, doll?" Jasmine quipped as he pecked Vicky on the lips.

_Huh?! Did he just call her 'Doll'?_

"A long time, indeed… Victoria, what are you doing here?" I asked her in a guarded voice.

I shifted my eyes between the members of my family and they all had uneasy looks in their eyes. Except for Alice, who was smiling brightly at me as if nothing was wrong…

"I was invited here, Edward." Vicky answered in a calm voice with a smile.

_Huh?!_

_Who did this?!_

The silence after her words was deafening.

I narrowed my eyes at my family members again. Who the fuck had the nerve to invite my ex to my girlfriend's house?! I knew the look on my face was of a murderer. I was fuming and I was sure they could see it. I still didn't get the chance to tell Bella about my ex and she didn't have to know about it like this! I know she knew about Victoria… but it was all gossip, I'm sure; and only bits and pieces!

Bella needed to know that Victoria was not a threat! Bella needed to know that she is still my girlfriend; and Victoria's arrival hasn't changed a thing!

_What the fuck was she doing here anyway? And why is Blonde-y kissing her?!_

My thoughts were so clouded. Am I missing something here? Did Jasmine have anything to do with this? Was this really a prank? Because if it was…

I looked at the people there and made eye contact with each one of them. I needed an answer to the one question I had in my head right now.

"Who did this?" I said in a low dangerous voice.

"It was _me_." the voice that spoke belonged to the last person I ever expected to speak…


	16. Chapter 13

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, espclly, with the green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessive-ward. Razzle Dazzle Nominee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: to all of you my amazing readers… this is the longest chapters ;) We have a small lemon featured here and some rivalry. And of course, more Jealous and possessive Edward moments will emerge and there will be, yet again, a new mean cliffy…**

**Also, thanks for all the amazing people who had voted for me at the Razzle Dazzle Awards.**

**Voting is still open and it will remain opened till July 31****st**

**The link is… http://razzledazzleawards(dot)webs(dot)com/**

**Time for your shout outs my lovelies :) I name…**

Xfarahx, faerie kitten, Kerry Hale, pixielovestoshop, alwayswatchingtv, AmaterasuSpiritWolf, MeetMeinMontauk, RoseArcadia, Haylzi, twloha14, immortalwizardpirateelf-fan, skyeblue0610, yankeerose, cascsiany, PLV, twilightfan303, RobRiv, Hope4more, Litany Gone, Lillie Cullen, Twichild369, Jen2112, ange87, GraciexLovesxYou, kemd, EdwardsCandyCane, ajayee, robsmom, pixietwilighterforever, absmw1618, isa90, Cydryna Marie, deeyahna, S.R Devaste, Krissy7, Epatz, mamato, tahliaa., SharkGurl, Kefe, Mrs Muze, XteamXjasperX, gossip-bangkok, bacmel79, Suzy Q Something, Kimmie38, Vanquish13, LeLe1103, Drowning In Shallow Water-, iloverobpattinson, jktwi, pillow912, trustme83, cheermom13, lisa430, BellaCullenPR, Kynicole, JasmineMarie84, kuntrygal, nermalasu, sicily volterra, Samloves, Lies2me, edwardandbellabelong2gether, juliemoonstar, Jlyne21, gjmb2000, x TWILIGHT x OBSESSED x, sonotemo, Giaah, amgrant3, babylopez2008, blubuttrfly10, SweetHart2BME, jayc3218, Isabela is Online, Drama4Twilight, Pandoras5thBox, mommytwilight, ebonyeyez1, augustine4, ForbiddenTwilighter, alys09, BelleDarcy, Mandav, pb3254, In Awe Of Fire, edaddict, emma217, Jaspers-new wife, foxjessica70, blueclouds25, Soccer11, rpobsessed2, MyriadProBold, serbelino, PerfectlyPersuasive, lola84, aprilrain429, Edward'sDarkAngel, Misty H, vampiregurl, EddiexBellaTroyxBrie, ForeverM, bellaedwardfan78, yayawhynot89, Suzy Q Something, pohbabesamoi22, mad4hugh, 71star, save the volvo ride a cullen, pigglet.93, Janiceelynn, rainbow18, 1, TwilightersandMusic, Ms Rhymenoceros, twilightfan10107, Emmii, emroseliz, Kamba, hudsonmama, BellaAshes, wvsunshine77 and KRYork (my 1000ths reviewer!)

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**Also, check out my friend's kuntrygal amazing updates… looks like we're gonna be seeing a sequel for her amazing story 'People Change'… can't wait for it, sweets ;)**

**Warning! This chapter has inappropriate language and HAS a mini lemon, so consider this as a fair warning.**

**Faffi (xfarahx), thank you so much for being the amazing beta you are… I really couldn't have done it without you ;) Sorry to keep you from watching Lord of the Rings for the 100****th**** time lol**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**EPOV**

_In front of me was the last person I had expected to see._

"_Hello, Edward. It's been a long time…"_

A pair of blue eyes stared at me as I stood there Dumbstruck. It all made sense now…

My mother's attempts to keep me home…

My father's advice to stay in bed…

It all made _fucking _sense now!

I shifted my eyes a bit and met the smirk of _Jasmine. _I narrowed my eyes at him, what they fuck was he smirking about?!

"It _has_ been a long time, hasn't it, doll?" Jasmine quipped as he pecked Vicky on the lips.

_Huh?! Did he just call her 'Doll'?_

"A long time, indeed… Victoria, what are you doing here?" I asked her in a guarded voice.

I shifted my eyes between the members of my family and they all had uneasy looks in their eyes. Except for Alice, who was smiling brightly at me as if nothing was wrong…

"I was invited here, Edward." Vicky answered in a calm voice with a smile.

_Huh?!_

_Who did this?!_

The silence after her words was deafening.

I narrowed my eyes at my family members again. Who the fuck had the nerve to invite my ex to my girlfriend's house?! I knew the look on my face was of a murderer. I was fuming and I was sure they could see it. I still didn't get the chance to tell Bella about my ex and she didn't have to know about it like this! I know she knew about Victoria… but it was all gossip, I'm sure; and only bits and pieces!

Bella needed to know that Victoria was not a threat! Bella needed to know that she is still my girlfriend; and Victoria's arrival hasn't changed a thing!

_What the fuck was she doing here anyway? And why is Blonde-y kissing her?!_

My thoughts were so clouded. Am I missing something here? Did Jasmine have anything to do with this? Was this really a stunt? Because if it was…

I looked at the people there and made eye contact with each one of them. I needed an answer to the one question I had in my head right now.

"Who did this?" I said in a low dangerous voice.

"It was _me_." the voice that spoke belonged to the last person I ever expected to speak…

It was Bella! _My Bella!_

I looked to my side and saw my angel standing beside me with a look of dread on her face.

I looked at her baffled by this realization.

How could she be the one to invite my ex? Did this have anything to do with that James fellow?

There is something missing here…

"Would you excuse us, guys? We'll just take a minute. Come with me, love…" I grabbed her arm and headed to the kitchen.

"What do you mean you invited my ex? How did you know her to begin with? Did Alice or Jasper tell you about her? Because if they did… you really need to know that-" she cut me off placing a hand on my mouth.

_Hmm… I liked it better when she used her mouth… I guess I'm damaged now._

"Edward, you need to listen to me. I need you to listen and not interrupt, can you do that?" she asked me with a worried look which instantly got me anxious.

_Why the seriousness?_

_Was she breaking up with me?_

I must have showed too much anxiety because her next lines were, "Don't worry. It's nothing bad." She said with a smile which got me relaxed right away.

I nodded for her to carry on.

"Edward. James asked me to invite Victoria becau-" I interrupted her not wanting her to continue. This was enough information for me.

_I knew it this guy was trouble._

Maybe I need to rephrase the 'BBB Plan'…

Instead of 'Bug Bella's Bedroom' Plan, it needs to be 'Beat Bella's Boy' Plan…

Or maybe 'Beat him with a bat

No, not enough…

'Beat the fuck…

Yeah… that's it. I'm gonna beat the fuck out of him.

Or you know what, I'm feeling a little generous today and he just might have all of those.

"I knew it! I knew this guy was up to no good. Bella, I know I've never talked to you about Victoria or what had happened with her. But, please, hear me out. NO…" I stopped her as she tried to interrupt me again.

"Just hear me out first. Victoria was my girlfriend for a couple of years. Well, we were more of friends rather than a boyfriend and a girlfriend. I had known her since we had moved here and we were kind of thrown into this thing. We never got beyond kissing and we were never intimate together. I wanted to take our relationship further, but she did the reasonable thing for herself at the time; she told me that she wanted to explore 'other options'. I was devastated at the time. I went through hell and back; the feel of rejection was so bad that I started sleeping around just to prove that I was good enough…" I was panicking.

I didn't want to lose Bella. She was looking at me expectantly waiting for me to say more. I took another breath, "As I said and as I'm sure you have heard about my 'rebellious stage'. I didn't want to commit to anybody. I can honestly say that it was the rejection of a friend that had really affected me.

"I didn't even care who the girl was; as long as I had her, it didn't matter to me. It was just the… uh… you know… I have already told you that I will be only yours and as I said… it will never happen again _as long_ as _you'll_ take me. But, Bella, I really don't feel anything for Vicky. I haven't in the past, not like that anyway… and I don't think I'll ever think of her in that way.

"So, please, I don't know what the guys or what your Jasmine had told you…" my ranting was cut off this time with Bella's lips crashing to mine.

_Uhhh… just what I needed…_

_My dose of heaven… hmmm_

She pulled back a bit leaving me panting, "Now, will you listen to what _I_ have to say?" she asked me with a smile.

I nodded bracing myself for what was about to come.

"I know about Victoria. As you said I heard some stories here and there, but what you just said made more sense. I'm not saying that I fully accept or totally forgive what you have done to those girls…" she said with a sad voice.

I felt my face blanch… and I wanted to die.

Shit! I knew this was gonna bite me in the ass in the end. I just didn't know it was gonna bite me in the ass this soon!

She smiled and cupped my face with both her hands. She stared me in the eye and continued, "But…" she stopped and I couldn't help the sigh of relief that left me.

I smiled, "There is a 'But'…" I said reluctantly.

She smiled wider, "Yes, there is a 'but' and you'd better hear me out till the end this time and not cut me off again…" she said sweetly and I nodded quickly. Fuck! I'll take whatever she was giving me.

"Okay. As I said before, James was the one who asked me to invite Victoria for dinner because she's his _girlfriend…_" she said with a sly smile and stopped to look at the expression of total bewilderment that I'm sure has appeared on my face.

_Huh? I'm sorry, what was that?_

"Yes, you heard me correctly. When James drove me here, I dropped him off at the airport. Apparently, they had met on the plane to Phoenix… small world, huh? Anyway… they have been together since that time… which means as long as we have been together. And they are totally happy. I have never seen James this happy before. To be honest, I was a little afraid of what your reaction was gonna be like, but not any more. But since you have assured me just now that you are not really thinking about Victoria any more…" she said in a quizzical tone cocking her eyebrow at me and I shook my head feverishly.

She continued, "I'm really relieved. Not only for myself, but also for James; He's really happy that he's with her. And I have spoken to her just before you came; she seems to be a really sweet person. And I think that since you aren't into her or she is not into you in any um… _intimate_ way. I'd say there is no cause for tension. So, please just try and let us enjoy this dinner. I really hate that the two most important guys for me are already fighting. So, if you want your redemption for what you have done, you need to do a few things for me…" she trailed off and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Anything!

Hell, I'll do anything to have a clean slate.

"Anything, love. Just name it." I said quickly.

"Good. I want you to be friends with James. He's a really important friend to me and he's helped me a lot." She said in a calm tone.

But… he's…

I pinched the bridge of my nose. This is really going to be difficult.

"Love, he's been acting like an asshole since the moment my eyes landed on him, or rather his fist landed on my – now - black eye! Plus, he's acting all nice and sweet to you when he already has a girlfriend! Isn't he supposed to be busy with her rather than hitting on _my_ girlfriend. And the way he's acting towards JC is not helping his case. I just…" I said in exasperation.

"Edward! Don't be silly. He's my friend! Nothing more. James and I have tried dating and it was disastrous. I already have a boyfriend and I _like him a lot._" She said seductively, trying to shake my latest opinion of her friend.

And she was succeeding with _flying_ colours.

"So you like that boyfriend of yours, do you?" I said as I wrapped her in my arms.

"Very much so. No one ever managed to make me feel the way he makes me feel… _ever"_ she whispered as she kissed my pulse point right below my ear.

"Hmm… what about him and JC?" I asked her trying to stay coherent.

She raised her head and locked gaze with me, "Edward, we've talked about this. James will always be part of JC's life and that won't change… but if you want to feel better, I can tell you this… JC loves you more than he loves James. He laughs more with you and he doesn't cry with you. How about that?" she said with a wink and pecked my lips.

I'll let her have that… _for now._

So, I grabbed Bella's arm and led her to the dinning room where a nice table had been set with all kinds of mouth-watering food.

As I approached the table, I noticed that all the chatter died and all eyes were on Bella and I.

I noticed the smug smile that spread over James' face and knew that he was expecting me to fight with Bella. I gave him an evil grin which wiped out his smile, "Hey guys, sorry it took me too long to come back. I guess the hit affected me more than I had expected and I had to sleep it off. Anyway…"

I pulled out a chair for Bella making sure to sit beside her, leaving the head of the tables for my mom and dad for when they come.

"I'm sorry, Victoria, for the way I acted. I guess your presence just took me by surprise. I really missed having you here. So, welcome back." I said with a smile earning a glare from Jasmine.

I guess that was something 'Punch-head' hadn't expected.

Ha!

I felt Bella gently squeezing my knee. I looked at her and saw her smiling brightly. I leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Thanks, Edward. Umm… it's nice to be back. And I'm happy that you have found someone. I've heard about Bella from James and from what I have seen for myself till now… she's looks and sounds like a wonderful person." She said giving Bella a wink.

I saw my angel blushing and I couldn't help but have a big smug smile on my face.

"See, sweetheart. I told you that she's a great person. It's just that, she has a really bad luck when it comes to choosing _boyfriends…"_ he quipped.

Fucker!

_Well, on that subject… I think I can enlighten him_.

"Oh, don't worry. That has been taken care of. Now that _I'm_ her boyfriend and by her side; I will protect her. And I won't allow anyone to take advantage of her, like when she was with you."

_Take that, 'Punch-head'._

I felt a hard nudge to my ribs. I looked beside me and saw Bella glaring at me. I gave her an innocent look and a small smile.

"What, love? You know I'll take care of you, don't you?" I asked her sweetly faking ignorance of what my 'not so innocent' comment had actually hinted.

She opened her mouth to speak just as we heard the door bell ringing.

As much of cliché it was, but I was literally _'saved by the bell'_!

Bella started to move and I put my hand on her arm holding her in place.

"Don't move." I told her with a smile.

I mean, come on, she was sitting the furthest from the door and she looked really tired.

I glared at Emmett, who was the nearest to the door, "Em, why don't you move your butt and open the door…" I seethed at him.

"AW! Man… I don't want to get up. They will take my place and…" he whined and I scowled at him.

I swear my brother had no sense of courtesy what-so-ever! I wanted to get up and knock some sense into his thick skull.

Rose, though, seemed to read my mind. Because the next thing she did was slap the back of his head earning giggles from the girls around the table.

"OWWW! Rosie… that hurt, baby" my brother whined again rubbing the back of his head.

"Edward, it's okay. I'll open the door…" Bella said as she started to move again.

I glared at her and tightened my grip on her arm, "I said… _Don't_ _move._"

I turned my head to scowl at my air-head of a brother again.

"Fine. I'll open the door…" he huffed.

"MOM, DAD. DOOR IS OPENED!" my stupid big brother boomed causing the whole lot of us to cover our ears.

Bella sprung to her feet and ran upstairs to check on the sleeping baby.

"Damn it, Em! I swear if JC is up. I'll make you hold him till we are all done with our dinners" I snapped at him as I made my way upstairs.

"Guys, you go ahead and start dinner. I'll check on Bella and be right back."

I made my way upstairs to Bella's dim-lit room and got in quietly. I saw Bella holding the whimpering JC in her arms; rocking him and trying to sooth him.

"It's okay, honey. It's just uncle Em. Everything is okay… there, there…" she cooed at him.

I came to stand by her side and stroked his hair.

"Is he okay?" I whispered.

"Yeah. Just startled with Em's yelling and all…" she whispered back as she continued to rock him.

"I think I better lie down with him just a bit. Maybe he'll go to sleep faster…" she spoke softly as she made her way to her bed.

She set JC on his stomach and she lounged beside him patting his back tenderly.

"Edward, why don't you go downstairs? I'm sure you're hungry… I'll be down in a minute. He's starting to drift off now." She said with a smile.

"_We_'ll go down together. I'll just sit here till you're done."

I sat on the edge of the bed as I heard the chatter and dishes clanking from downstairs. My stomach grumbled noisily and I heard Bella giggling softly.

"Edward. Come on! You are hungry… I'll be down there in a minute! Don't be stubborn." She chastised.

I smiled; _was my girl trying to get rid of me…_

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" I asked her impishly.

"No." she said too quickly.

"What is it? Are you worried of what they'll think we're doing up here?" I asked her as I moved from my place in the bed to stand beside her.

"No! It's just. I heard your stomach… and… uh… Edward… what are you… uh… doing?" she asked, out of breath.

I was lounged behind her holding her to my front. I started placing feather-light kisses on the back of her neck and shoulder as I rubbed her stomach and sides.

"Nothing, love. I'm just making sure that their thoughts won't go to waste. Don't mind me… you just make sure JC is asleep… kay?" I said between kisses.

"JC… uh… Ed… uh… asleep… dinner…" she moaned her words incoherently.

I loved the effect that I had over her; I made sure to pull her to me so that we were a little further away from the now sleeping JC. I guided her to lean against me not stopping my kisses that were now trailing to her jaw line aiming for my ultimate target. _Her lips._

I kissed her softly at first earning a soft sigh. I opened my mouth and licked her lips with my tongue wanting to taste her and I was granted access to her heaven.

My hands made their way up her sides to the undersides of her breasts; I touched them softly only to have her breath hitch. She reached her hand to my head entangling her fingers into my hair to pull me closer to her.

_Hmmm… she was loving it… let's see what she was going to do if I did this…_

I reached both my hands and cupped both her mounds. God, they were perfect! They were bigger than to fit in my hands. I started massaging them; alternating between hard and soft squeezing. _Big… as I said… Perfect!_

She moaned and pushed her tongue to my mouth exploring my taste; her breathing now coming out as pants.

Edward, Jr. was having the thrill of his life… I was fully hard and my position behind her was granting me just the friction I needed. Just when I was thinking that; I felt her grind her hips against me earning a moan from me.

I felt her lips curve into a smile against mine._ She wanted to play dirty… fine!_

I moved one of my hands and moved it inside her shirt which now had a few buttons gotten loose with my ministrations; and I grazed her nipple with my fingers feeling it harden from my touch.

"Edward…" she moaned my name as I started massaging her breast with my hand.

I felt her other hand reach behind her and between us; she started massaging me through my pants and I thought I was about to shoot my load right then and there.

Shit!

I was painfully hard now. All thought of dinner or people eating downstairs were now long gone. All I had in my mind was the minx who was about to make me cream in my pants any second now.

I was panting hard right now.

"Bella…" I moaned as squeezed both her breasts under her bra harshly.

_I was so close…_

I felt Bella arch into my hands causing her luscious bottom to grind more into me. She moaned a bit louder and it went directly to my hard-on; causing it to twitch.

She moved the hand that was massaging me and slid it into my boxer and started stroking me. She moved her mouth from mine and whispered into my ear as she grazed the head of my cock with her nails softly.

"Mmmm… Candy… yumm…" she whisper-moaned into my ear biting it gently.

That was my undoing.

I shivered and groaned as I shot my load into my boxer, with her still stroking me. My release was so powerful that it took me a couple of minutes to climb down from my high and regain my normal breathing.

Shit! _I could get used to that…_

This was the second time that she had done this to me shortly after my sleep.

I looked at her to see her smiling at me. I smiled impishly at her and trailed my hand down her torso.

"That was amazing, love. How about I reciprocate?" I asked her playfully as I kissed her mouth softly.

She stopped my hand and leaned back enough to look at me and talk.

"As much as I'd love for you to do that… don't forget that we have guests downstairs and dinner on the table. I just thought after all the cock-blocked excitement that you had today, thanks to your brother… and all the bad luck that you had with James. I thought that I'd give you a little treat."

She kissed me and removed herself slowly from bed not to wake JC.

"Here is a small towel. I think you'd better clean up before we go to dinner… I'll just change my shirt and tidy my hair a bit."

She pushed me to her bathroom. I washed up quickly and took off my boxer. I decided on going commando so that I don't wear the dirty underwear again. I cleaned up quickly and left my boxer in the corner of her tub, where I thought it was the best place not to be detected and placed the towel on it.

I looked at myself in the mirror and saw my bruised flushed face. I splashed some cold water and dried off.

I got out of the bathroom and saw that Bella was placing JC in his basinet.

I came beside her and pecked her on the lips.

"Let's go downstairs before they eat all the delicious cooking you made. And I won't forget that I owe you, love…" I whispered the last part to her as I pulled her to the door of the room.

She reached up to my ear and whispered, "Well, yes. You owe me…" then she placed her hand on my crotch.

"Like that 'Candy' that you didn't let me get at the end…" she purred into my ear.

I was hard instantly.

_Again!_

I glared at her and emitted a low growl only to have her giggle and sprint before me downstairs.

I swear she was going to be the death of me.

I took a few calming breaths willing my 'new born' hard-on to go away.

Once I felt calmer I went downstairs and took the chair beside Bella.

"Eddie! Where have you been? A few more minutes and the food would have gotten cold…" Emmett said with a mouth full of food.

Eww!

_'See-food' much?_

"Honey, don't talk with your mouth full." Mom chastised him.

All the people around the table sat and ate their food while they chatted away. I saw that my angel was plating some of my favourite items to my dish. I kissed her temple as she poured my soda into the glass.

I glanced at James, who was facing me; and saw that he was eyeing me warily. Then I saw him shift his gaze to Bella and give her a worried look.

Huh? What's the matter with him?!

Then it came to me… I remembered that we have been upstairs a good fifteen minutes.

_Oh, he was suspecting 'foul play', wasn't he?_

Well, now, we can't have that…

He needs to know that it was exactly what's to be expected from a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship.

So, let's erase the doubt, shall we?

_Once and for all…_

I smiled mischievously and leaned towards my Bella again. I kissed the side of her mouth then whispered in her ear keeping my eyes on James.

"Your '_friend'_ looks like he suspects us… do you think we should give him another show so that we can put his mind at ease that it's _exactly_ what he's suspecting?"

She froze and her face turned into a tomato in an instant. She elbowed me and glanced at her friend. He was now glaring at the both of us with a red face; but throwing reproachful looks towards _my_ _Bella_!

I saw Vicky look at him asking him if he was alright; I saw him mumble something and go back to eating his meal still glaring at me.

I saw Bella, from the corner of my eye, take a big bite and shake her head minutely at him.

He narrowed his eyes at her for a second as if he was waiting for confirmation for something. And I was surprised when she shook her head again.

He smiled smugly at me, causing me to tense and glare, again, at him.

He was definitely trying to get a confirmation from her that nothing had happened. Why would he be angry of our relationship?

What the hell does our relationship have anything to do with him?

I didn't like it one bit.

I needed answers right away.

"Love, why did James smile when you assured him that nothing had happened upstairs?" I asked her in a low tensed tone.

"How did you…?" she wanted to asked, but I scowled at her shutting her up.

"Answer the question, please. Why should James be concerned of our relationship?" I asked her a bit of a harsh whisper as I rubbed her thigh with my hand.

"Um… I… uh…" she stammered and I couldn't help but tense more.

What the fuck wasn't she telling me? I thought we had sorted everything out!

"Edward… it's not what you think… I'll tell you later about it. But rest assured. It has nothing to do with James or the _male gender_ at that. It's just _something_ that I'll tell you about later… that's all."

I relaxed a bit and cocked my eyebrow at her wondering what she wanted to tell me.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked her for final confirmation.

She smiled a bit and whispered in my ear, "I'm a hundred percent sure that you are the only man who makes me feel happy. You are the only man whom I'd want to have his hands on me… or have my hands on him for all it matters. Does this make you feel better?"

Her voice caused me to shudder slightly and relax a great deal.

"Just as long as that's true, love…" I smiled waiting for her last confirmation.

She took a bite of her food, when I felt her hand reach up to my crotch causing me to harden. She massaged me slowly through my jeans causing me to give out a low growl.

She looked around for a minute making sure that no one was paying us attention, still massaging me. It was getting harder to breathe evenly.

I took a quick sip of my drink trying to get hold of whatever left of self control in me… I had no idea what was keeping me from grabbing her, throwing her on the table and having my way with her right now.

_Maybe it's the four couples sitting around you, including your mom and dad._

_Well, yeah that could work…_

She leaned into me and whispered in my ear, "Well, Edward. It is true…"

She licked my earlobe and continued, "And I'm betting the 'Candy' that you _still_ owe me, that one day you'll have no doubt that I'm telling the truth. Just heads up, though… I always claim the dues people owe me…" she purred in a seductive voice causing me to shiver.

I almost blew my load for the second time that evening.

_Oh, Love. I'll give you all the 'Candy' that you want…_

I saw Bella lean back into her seat and smirk at me.

_The minx! She knew exactly how much she affected me and she used it well!_

I was happy for the moment.

I straightened my back and shot James, who was eyeing me thoughtfully, a smug look.

_Take that, fucker._

I plastered a wide goofy grin on my face and ate away; trying to ignore, at best, the 'problem' that was 'sticking' with its stupid attitude.

_Down boy! You'll have your way later._

I moaned from the taste as I ate, she made Lasagne and Sweet-Sour dishes… and they both were mouth-watering.

"Edward, honey. You need to chew, or you'll choke!" mom laughed as she drank some water.

"Bu' Um Ungry…" I said like a complete retard.

"What was that? And chew first before you speak!" she asked again.

"I said… I'm hungry… I haven't had anything today since school. I'm gonna stick with the 'I'm a growing boy' phrase; I need my food. And this is delicious…" I finished my sentence only to stuff another big bite into my mouth.

I moaned again as my mom kept making small talk with me.

"You know… it's a small world, honey. Remember when I told you about Vicky… that she had met someone. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that he's none other than Bella's boyfriend from Phoen-" she stopped abruptly as I chocked on my bite and started coughing loudly.

Boyfriend!

_Bella's boyfriend…_

Bella patted me on the back and gave me her glass of water. I took a big gulp of water and a few breaths.

"Mom, he's _not_ Bella's boyfriend. _I'm_ Bella's boyfriend. He was her _friend_ and _nothing_ more." I said in a clipped tone as politely as I could.

I heard James chuckling from his place in front of me and I glared at him.

"Oh, well. I just meant that they were _acquainted_ with each other. I'm sure you'll all be great friends. He seems like a great boy. Bella had told me how much he had helped her with JC." She said with a smile.

_What?!_

_When did Bella tell my mom about him?_

"Well, yeah. But, when did Bella tell you about James?" I asked her confused.

"When you were sleeping today, she called me to make sure you invited us to dinner and to tell me that James and Vicky were to be here too. She talked to me a couple of minutes about what a great help he was, that's all" she said as she gave a big smile to James, who was now… _batting his eyelashes at her_.

_What the fuck!?_

I narrowed my eyes at him as he smiled smugly at me.

Oh, yeah… we'll see about that smile…

"Yeah, he _was_ a great help. But right now, Bella and JC have me. I mean… I've just helped Bella put JC to bed, haven't I, love?" I asked her sweetly, daring her with my eyes to deny what I had just said.

She blushed deep red and smiled not daring to look a James who had the smile wiped off his face.

_Ha! Take that, Fuckhead!_

I got my smug smile back in place and resumed my face-stuffing.

By the time I had finished my second plate; mom and dad had excused themselves and went home. I had already skipped the salad not wanting to waste any space and helped myself to a third serving.

I glanced around and saw that all the couple were engaged in loud conversations about shopping, school and football teams. I looked up at James and saw that he had a smug smile on his face. I saw him putting a bite in his mouth chewing slowly. I looked beside him and saw Victoria eating her meal slowly… _with a flushed face._

Was he?

Could he?

_He wouldn't dare…_

I looked at him again and noticed that his other hand was _not on the table!_

Fucker!

_Oh, yeah?_

_I'm already 'up' for a play, fuckface!_

I looked around to make sure that everyone else was distracted and I lowered my hand from the table and trailed it up Bella's leg; first, I started to rub her thigh, causing her breath to hitch.

I chuckled quietly.

_She knew where this is going._

"Edward! What the hell are you doing?!" she whispered sharply and tried to remove my hand.

"Just enjoy it, love. No one is noticing…" I whispered back, keeping my eyes on James. Who was now glaring at us.

I looked at Bella and saw her looking at James. She must have realized what was happening. Because the next thing she did was blush and lower her head again.

"Edward, stop it!" she reprimanded me as I started to rub her over her jeans.

I only chuckled as I put more pressure into my work. She started panting; she looked up and locked gaze with Vicky who had the same flushed look on her face.

They looked at each other for a minute and then grinned mischievously. I saw Victoria lean and whisper something to James just as Bella leaned closer to me.

"Edward, if you don't remove your hand this instance. I'll make sure to start claiming my 'Candy' right here in front of everyone…" she purred into my ear.

SHIT!

FUCK!

That purr went directly to my southern region causing me to twitch in my confines.

Just great!

My breath hitched and I stopped eating when I felt Bella's hand trail up my leg aiming for my crotch.

_Again!_

It's the 'Dinner Scene' all over again.

I groaned lowly, thanking heavens that mom and dad had went home.

I looked at James and saw that he was facing the same predicament.

And for once I felt for him.

"Bella… just…" I stammered in a low voice.

"Why is it okay for you to do it to me and not the opposite?" she asked me increasing her pace and pressure.

"Fuck!" I whispered.

I was so close but then…

Click, click…

I heard someone cocking a shotgun behind us.

Everyone stopped talking and I froze.

"Bells, I hope I'm not late enough to miss this delicious dinner I'd just heard about" the gruff voice of the Chief of Cock-blocking fucking squad came from behind me.

Bella withdrew her hand _slowly_ and turned to face her father.

The blood drained from my face and my 'problem' was dissolved.

James looked so terrified that I almost sympathized with him.

_Almost…_ being the operative word.

"Dad… what are you doing here? I thought you were going to um… stay late at work?" she asked him with a strained tone.

"Well, that was the plan… I mean that we've found a new clue that we think might give us a new lead towards the murderer. And the right people are working on it…" The Chief said as he sat down beside us placing the shot gun on the table in front of him and giving me a tight smile.

I gulped loudly.

"Don't worry, boy. The safety lock is on…" he smirked at me and I smiled at him returning to my neglected plate.

Oh, God. I was hoping that he'd be gone for the night so that Bella would sleep at our house.

_Why can't I just have this simple wish!_

_I want him gone for the night… is this a lot?!_

Bella stood up, got him a new plate and started placing food in it.

"That looks delicious, Bells" he stated as she handed him the plate.

"_Anyway_… that's _not_ why I'm here now… I got a call that needed my attention" he stated.

_Yeah, I just bet you have something that needed your attention._

I quickly took another bite and chewed slowly not daring to make eye contact with him.

_Maybe he has to graduate a whole knew class of Cock-blocking fuckers._

"I hope it's nothing bad, dad?" Bella asked him worriedly.

_Or maybe he just plans on ruining my life by simply making Bella worry!_

I glared at him as I rubbed circles on Bella's knee trying to reassure her.

"Oh, no… it's nothing like that, Bells. At least… I _hope_ it won't get to that…" he answered her gravely as he sighed.

Bella now was as pale as a sheet. And I could see the other girls getting nervous and the boys trying to calm them.

_Way to relieve the tension, Chief of Grim!_

Leave it to the Chief of Police to make you feel all secure and safe!

_Secure and Safe my Ass…_

_I wish you'd just go away!_

"It's just that I need to leave Forks for a few days to take care of a few things before… um… just… don't worry about it, kiddo." he smiled at his daughter.

_Huh?_

Did I hear him correctly?

He said he was leaving Forks for a few days, right?

Fuck… I was getting some wishes granted.

Quick…

I want Bella and I to be in our room with Bella sprawled naked on the bed beckoning me to come to her so she can have her way with me.

Hmm… nothing. Maybe it's far-fetched… let's go for something simple, shall we…

I want this room empty, except for Bella and I. With Bella sucking me off with me screaming her name…

Yes… I want this one…

So… _Going once… going twice… Nothing!_

_Well… I'll just settle for the Chief leaving for now. _

By the time my thoughts reached that level, I was fighting the big grin that was about to break its way to my face.

Gotta keep it down…

Things can't get more perfect.

"But… dad, where are you going?" Bella said in a shaken voice, still worried.

I squeezed her knee and smiled at her. She gave me a small smile as the Chief answered.

"Don't worry, kiddo. I actually saw Carlisle and Esme outside and asked them if it would be okay for you to stay with them for a few days till I'm back." He said casually as he ate another bite.

Okay… I was wrong.

Things can get more perfect.

I couldn't help it any more. The grin that I was trying to suppress broke its way to my face and I must have looked like the village idiot, especially with the black eye I had.

_Not that I cared, mind you._

I was having my Bella at my place for a good few days.

And get this…

_With her father's, the Chief of Police, permission._

I leaned to the back of the chair and raised my arm to settle it behind Bella's shoulders.

She looked at me and saw me grinning. She rolled her eyes at me and huffed.

_Oh, we'll see about that huff later on, love._

"Hey, you didn't introduce me to your friend." Chief said as if he just realised that James was here.

He knew Victoria of course, since she was our neighbour.

"You must be James. Ta-… I mean Bells here told me all about you. Welcome to Forks and to my house. I heard you were accepted at Port Angeles High."

James shook hands with the Chief.

"Thank you, Chief. It's good to meet you. And I hope all you heard was good?" He quipped as he leaned back in his chair and gave me a smug smile.

"Yeah! I know you'll be playing ball with school and that you were promised a scholarship or something. Port Angeles High has a good football team. One of the best." He smiled at him and gave me a hard look.

"Actually… it's _now_ the best in Washington after Forks High lost its title _last year_." He stated in a clipped tone glaring at me.

I lost the grin and gulped loudly.

"Don't worry, Chief. We've got our winning ticket back for this season." Emmett said with a big smile as he gave me a wink.

I smiled timidly and looked at the Chief who had now a surprised look on his face.

"You're playing this year, Edward?" he asked me with a curious look.

James eyed me sarcastically and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Yes, Chief. I'm playing this year. And Forks High will be back on top where it belongs." I stated firmly glaring at James.

"Oh, well. We'll see about that, Cullen." James quipped in a low voice.

I was about to answer but the Chief beat me to it.

"Actually, son. Cullen was the one who had helped Forks High get where it was the last few years after he moved here. Except for last year when he was having his 'episode'. I just hope that he puts his money where his mouth is…" He narrowed his eyes at me again.

"Don't worry, Chief. It's a brand new year. And I'm not going anywhere…" I smirked at James who was now glaring at me.

The Chief rolled his eyes and shifted his attention to Victoria.

"Victoria, dear! How are you? It's been sometime since I last saw you." He said with a smile evident in his voice.

"Hello, Chief. I've missed you all so much. My parents send you their regards." Vicky said in a sweet tone.

"And although Bella's dreadful circumstances made her move here. I can't say that I regret meeting her… she's a sweet person just like her father."

I saw Bella smile sadly at Vicky's reference to her mother's death but she blushed at the compliment.

"You know it was nice to meet you too, Vicky." She said shyly.

"Well, Victoria, just 'cause you're not this boy's girlfriend any more; it doesn't mean that you need to forget about us…" he glared at me like I was the reason for all the mishaps of the world.

_Not fair!_

This time Bella placed a hand on my thigh trying to reassure me.

"Actually, Chief Swan. I'm here with my boyfriend…" she said and smiled when she saw his quizzical look.

He whipped his head to look furiously at me. He was shifting his eyes between Bella and I as if he was trying to determine when we got the chance to break up and who was the cause of it.

Shit!

If looks could kill, he wouldn't need the shot gun he was reaching for right now to do it.

"No, dad! We are still together. Vicky is now James' girlfriend." Bella stated quickly.

She gave him a quick briefing on how they both met and he looked relieved. But he didn't miss the chance to give me a few warning looks every now and then as she spoke.

"Well, good luck, kid. I hope you'll be happy." He smiled at her and she beamed at him.

"Okay, now. That was a lovely meal, Bells. Thank you, honey." He smiled at his daughter and she beamed at him proud of her work.

I gave her a bright smile and pulled her to me.

As we all started to get up to help clean the table he stopped us.

"Guys, I want you to listen to me for a few minutes…" he told us in a stressed tone.

We looked at each other wondering what got him all riled up all of a sudden.

"I know that by now that you have all heard about the murders that have taken place during the last few weeks…" he asked us.

We all nodded. And I sensed the tension hanging thickly in the air.

I saw each of the people sitting pressing to their partner and giving them worried looks.

I held Bella by the waist and tightened my grip on her until she rested her head on my shoulder.

"Okay. Let me give you facts. Originally, there were two murders-…" he started to say but I cut him off.

_Originally?_

So what now?

Is he saying there has been a third one?!

"What do you mean 'Originally'? Has there been a new one?" I asked him confused and scared of the answer to come.

He scowled at me, "Let me finish and you'll get the answer."

"Sorry…" I mumbled as Bella placed a soft kiss on my neck.

"As I was saying before I was _rudely_ interrupted. There were two murders that took place in the last few weeks. And yes a new one just took place recently. We've found out about it this morning." He stated grimly.

"Now, I don't want you to panic. But this is the first time Forks has been subjected to such a thing in a long time. We still don't have many clues but we are working hard and new information is being deducted as the investigation continues.

"What we know so far… is that we are looking for a male. A strong male who can handle a struggling female. He uses violence with his victims to force himself on them. And by force himself, I mean… um… rape." He finished glumly.

I heard Bella take a sharp breath and freeze to my side. I tightened my arm around her more and kissed her forehead.

_No fucker was getting my Bella._

"Sorry, kids. But you needed to hear it. Also, he seems to have a smooth way with women. Because no one has heard screaming or struggling. So we have realized that he lures them to him somehow. He's a guy that looks like you can trust him.

"And he's a local who knows his way around this place, since we haven't heard of any strangers coming to these parts. The victims are mostly um… young girls around your age. One of the girls is from Forks High her name is Bethany Carmichael. Maybe you knew her…" he shifted his gaze between us.

Shit!

I knew Bethany… she was one of my many um… 'mistakes' that happened last year. I remembered her… she had dull brown her and grey eyes. I remembered that I hadn't seen her this semester.

"Anyway, the other girl was from Port Angeles High and the recent Victim was passing by Forks and heading to Canada."

Poor thing…

I wonder how her family is taking the shock…

"Now, the only reason I'm telling you this is because I want all of you _girls _to be careful. This is serious. I know you are all together all the time, but I want you to make sure that you are escorted the whole time. I can't believe I'm saying this… but I need each one of you girls to stick herself to her boyfriend…" he said jadedly.

As he finished his sentence, wolf howls and wooing erupted from the guys around as each one of them grabbed his girl causing the girls to squeal and squirm.

I heard Bella giggle at their reactions shushing them not to wake JC; and she squealed as I pulled her to my lap playfully.

I saw the Chief narrow his eyes at me causing me to gulp and hide my face in Bella's neck.

"So, let me say this again. Girls, no alone time any more. If there is a chance that you'd be alone at home, you need to call your boyfriend before your parents leave the house. Vicky and Rose I'll call your parents and okay all this with them so you don't have any problems in the future…" he finished with a smirk.

Emmett stood up from the table holding a hand on his heart; catching all our attention.

"Chief Swan, you are my hero." He said in the most serious of tones.

"_Did you ever know that you're my heeeeroooo_!" Emmett the airhead started to sing causing all the girls to giggle.

The Chief couldn't help but chuckle a bit, "Yeah, well. Don't forget all this is temporary. But what I'd say is… just prove yourself to be trust-worthy and this solution could be permanent." He winked and blushed.

_Well, now… naughty Chief of Mischief is here…_

I know now who Bella gets her blush from…

I chuckled as Bella hid her face in my neck.

"Now, that we had this out of the way… you are allowed to leave the table" he said with a smile.

We stood up all excited and talking. We scooped dishes and glasses and took them to the kitchen.

It looks like things were looking up for me.

"Edward and James… can I have a word with you two…" Chief of Grim called us sternly.

Fat chance!

**End Chapter Thirteen**

**AN: What did you think of the chapter, how did you find the dinner scene… and putting babies to bed can be a bit different than excepted ;)… did you like the small lemon? Who wants some more o' dat ;) *evil grin* R&R, please… Love you all**


	17. Chapter 14

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, espclly, with the green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessive-ward. Razzle Dazzle Nominee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: to all of you my amazing readers… one of the longest chapters ;) big surprises are coming your way… more possessive and almost dominant Edward… The Chief is on a roll this chapter… but don't worry he'll be your hero at the end ;) ahhh… the end… at the end of this chapter, my sweets… another BIG surprise ;)**

**Also, I wanted to thank all of the amazing people who had voted for me at the Razzle Dazzle Awards… I haven't won… but it was all appreciated :) so thanks**

**Time for your shout outs my lovelies :) I name…**

acw1, Kerry Hale, Hope4more, Kryptotrite, RoseArcadia, faerie kitten, twloha14, Litany Gone, ebonyeyez1, deeyahna, ange87, gjmb2000, AmaterasuSpiritWolf, Kamba, 731, christine30974, Kimmie38, augustine4, FrenzzyforEdward, SaraEMC2, KRYork, Colum, x TWILIGHT x OBSESSED x, Lillie Cullen, yankeerose, midnite serenade, NATwilight, Jen2112, CJ1325, pb3254, wendybaliles, amgrant3, SharkGurl, iloverobpattinson, Epatz, LovinTheCullen, Soccer11, trustme83, laurajaexo, Spunkie09, BellaCullenPR, Mrs Muze, Suzy Q Something, isa90, rainbow18, IMSandEAMforever, Emmii, Jazz2305, bellaedwardfan78, JasmineMarie84, ForbiddenTwilighter, save the volvo ride a cullen, nermalasu, 71star, luv4edwardcullen, kuntrygal, Homebody, xfarahx, alwayswatchingtv, pippyXYZ, EdwardsCandyCane, MiamiGirl786, edmom, SuperSayjinPanny, babylopez2008, tina198912, absmw1618, pillow912, -MushroomToh-, blubuttrfly10, Kefe, Giaah, pixietwilighterforever, CuRoSiTy14, mamato, Cydryna Marie, Lomi111, lisa430, Rae2404, emma217, Captured-Angel3, Drama4Twilight, rchpbabe, Miss Stanley, suzala, Cullen-Girl-98, hyperkay, MeetMeInMontauk, Yecatstacey, Mandav, Jaspers-new wife, LeLe1103, jktwi, Kazume Suigama, BehindTheseTopazEyes, MyriadProBold, SaDiddy-Baby, mommytwilight, sjones5199, maggiejo, EdwardsBrunette2, nanavette, .edward, Breath-of-twilight, mveroherr, Meli1518, addict2twilight, pen fatelle, princessnerra and Hearts In Strangeness

**You are all AMAZING! With your continuous support this story has become what it is now :) sorry if I had missed any of the names… FF had gone haywire for a couple of day as you all know… so I hope I haven't missed any of the names ;)**

**Also, check out my friends' amazing stories and updates… kuntrygal, ericastwilight, Cydryna Marie, faerie kitten and Breath-of-twilight… all those girls are amazing!**

**Kay guys… this chapter has **_**not**_** been beta'ed… so forgive me if you find anything stupid there ;)**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Fourteen**

_Previously…_

"_Edward and James… can I have a word with you two…" Chief of Grim called us sternly._

_Fat chance!_

**EPOV**

I gulped loudly as I looked at James.

He had the same freaked out look as me.

Shit…

I thought of what he was going to say or maybe _do…_

Maybe he wasn't happy about the exchange between Bella and I at dinner…

_No, no… I'm just paranoid._

Maybe he didn't want me around her that much any more…

_Umm… no, it couldn't be… I'm just sceptical._

Maybe he changed his mind about me being her boyfriend…

_He can't just change his mind like this… I'm just being suspicious._

Maybe he wanted to castrate me not wanting his daughter to end up with another child…

_I'm so fucking DEAD!_

Fuck!

I knew it was too good to be true!

"What happened to your face?" The Chief asked me as we walked.

"James punched me when I surprised Bella earlier today, thinking I was an attacker…" I answered as I scowled at the snickering James.

He looked at the both of us stopping mid-walk. He shifted his gaze between us and asked me, "And did you let him get away with it?" he asked me sceptically.

I smirked as I answered, "Well, I practically nailed him _twice_ but Bella has begged me not to pommel him, so I let him go…" I quipped and James huffed.

He smiled and nodded, "Sit down, boys." He said calmly as he sat on the single seat, leaving the other sofas for James and I.

I looked at James giving him a questioning look to know if he had any idea of what was going on. He looked at me and shrugged his shoulders.

We took seats opposite each other leaving the Chief in the centre.

"Relax. I just want to chat…" he told us and we relaxed a bit.

Fine, I'm giving this a chance…

'Paranoia'… _uncheck._

'Scepticism'… _uncheck._

'Suspicion'… _uncheck._

'Death Alert'… _definitely uncheck…_ he can't hurt me.

I'm gonna have a fresh start with the Chief. I know that I'm always on alert with him. Maybe he just gives a bad scary vibe is all…

I mean, he said he wanted to chat. How serious can a chat be?

"How far has your relationship gone with my daughter, Cullen?" he asked me with a grave tone, as he leaned forward resting his forearms on his knees.

_Holy Hell._

_That's a chat?!_

I felt the blood drain from my face and I heard Jasmine snickering.

I gave James a withering look and returned to face the chief.

'Paranoia'… _Fucking check._

I took a deep breath and decided to play it cool and smart.

"Well, Chief… you know your daughter. How far do you think she'd allow me to go with a baby near by?" I asked with a stern look.

I didn't _completely_ lie…

But why would he be so worried about that! I'm mean it's not like she's a virgin anymore… even though I wish I was her first.

"Good answer, Cullen…" he answered me with a tight smile. And I could see him relaxing a bit.

I turned to James with a big smirk plastered on my face. He looked at me narrowing his eyes at me.

_Huh! Take that, fuckface._

"And you, James. Victoria's father is a close friend of mine. So, I'll have to ask you the same question. How far has your relationship gone with Victoria?" he asked him with a tight tone.

It was my turn to snicker.

He gave me the same withering gaze I gave him only a moment ago and cleared his throat.

"Well, Chief. Umm… Victoria and I are pretty close. But we haven't gone as far as _you are _thinking…" he said in a clipped tone.

_Huh, who would have thought..._

Satisfied with the answer; the Chief turned his gaze to me again and I gulped.

"Are you two close at school too, Cullen, or just here and around your family?" he asked me with a sharp gaze.

_What's with the third degree!_

'Scepticism' is _back… and fucking check._

Damn it! I just knew he doesn't like me to be around her that much!

"Well, Chief. You know how Bella is a beautiful girl. And having JC in the picture is not driving the guys away. And she's so sweet to all the people. So, people would want to be around her. And guys are just… ummm… did I say that Bella is beautiful?" I stammered my words.

He gave me a hard look waiting for my answer.

"Umm… so that's a yeah… I guess. Yeah. I'm around her all the time at school." I said in a yielding manner.

I just can't lie about this. I'm sure he's asked around.

He smiled a little and looked at James, "Same question, James?" he asked him.

"Well, Sir. Since I was in Phoenix, I didn't get the chance to be around Vicky a lot. But I intend to do that here." He answered in what sounded like a truthful tone.

The Chief nodded his head with the smile still in place as he looked ahead of him.

James gave me a questioning look and I shrugged my shoulders. The Chief looked at me again to finish up his 'third degree'.

"You know… I heard about that little talk you had with those boys from the Rez saying that you were Bella's boyfriend and that JC is your son. Is that your way of saying that you like being my daughter's boyfriend, Cullen?" he asked me narrowing his eyes at me.

'Suspicion' is _back with flying colours_… _and fucking check._

My eyes were as wide as saucers.

_How did he know that?_

_Who told him!_

I chanced a look at James who was staring at me in surprise.

_What!? Can't a boyfriend defend his girlfriend these days?_

"And dare I need to add that this particular incident took place before you became my daughter's boyfriend…" he said with a knowing smirk.

My jaw hit the ground at this.

_Chief of CIA Much?!_

"I… uh… I mean… uh…" I stuttered like an idiot.

I looked at James who was staring at me with utter shock.

I took a long breath and rubbed my face knowing there is no escaping this.

"Well, I uh… was in the men's room and uh… I heard these two guys talking about this gorgeous chick with the baby they were trying to hook up with… so… it just sort of…umm. You know what… Fine! They were talking about my… uh… about Bella like she was a piece of meat and even though she was with JC and I were there, that didn't put them off. Those assholes were trying to _force_ their unwanted acquaintance on her. Undeterred by the fact that she has ignored their advances. So, I just wanted to tell them off; I told them that she's my girlfriend and that JC is my son. There!" I stopped and took a much needed breath.

I looked at the Chief who had this weird look on his face like he was trying to hold a grin back or something. I looked at James and saw that he had a knowing smile on his face.

"So, I guess. That would be 'yes' to your question. Yes, I love being Bella's boyfriend. Bella has changed my life and I can't think of how my life would be without her in it. I know that you don't like me and I know that you have your doubts when it comes to my intentions towards your daughter. But I swear on all that's holy that I'm never going to harm her and I'll protect her with my life." I finished in a resigned tone.

I think my sincerity was received well.

The look on the Chief's face was one of relief; he closed his eyes and released a long sigh.

_Yes! Home run. HA!_

I heard him muttering under his breath a few things, but I only got to recognise… "half of your father's worth" and "true to your word…"

I looked at James who was staring at me with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Well…" The Chief started after taking a long breath. I looked at him expectantly; waiting for him to finish the thought.

"I guess… there is nothing more to say then." He said with finality.

_Phew._

"Except…" he started again.

Damn! _Should have known that couldn't have been it._

"Guys, if you ever hurt those girls, nothing will save you from me. And I hate to use my position as the Chief of Police. But let's just say… I don't think you will _live_ to regret the day that you thought of hurting those girls." He finished with a smirk.

Both James and I gulped loudly.

'Death Alert'… _Back… and check._

"Well, I guess that's all I have for now." He finished and stood up quietly.

James got up and sprinted from the room quickly. And before I could follow him, I was called again.

I came back and took my seat again.

"Son…" he started and I looked at him shocked.

"As you know I'll be leaving tonight. And it might take a few days to come back." He stated again.

I nodded at him and waited for him to continue.

"Well, I know that Bells will not like the fact that I have arranged for her to stay at your house… especially that she doesn't like it when people look after her. She always feels like she's a burden or something..." he said rolling his eyes.

"But that's just silly." I began but stopped abruptly when I saw him glaring at me.

"You and I know that it's _silly_. But Bells has been taking care of her son, me and the house… so the idea of having someone look after her is not well-received by her" He said again with frustration and shook his head.

I nodded furiously at him confirming his words.

"So, I guess… what I want to say is… she's gonna try to 'sneak' her way of this deal. And by 'deal', I mean staying at your house for the next few days. She'll be putting all kind of excuses your way or maybe even fight. So, what I need from you is…" he stopped rubbing his face.

I looked at him confused.

_Is he saying what I think he's saying?_

"God, I can't believe I'm saying this..." He sighed heavily looking at me.

"I need you to try to keep her by your side; she can't be alone. And don't let her come to this house _alone._ If she needs anything from her room and you are not available to accompany her, arrange for any of the guys to be with her. I trust you to keep her safe" He said in a clipped tone.

He was freaking me out.

What the hell was happening in this case that was making him act out of his wits all of a sudden.

I nodded at him, "Sir, I won't let her out of my sight… but what if she…" I started reluctantly and trailed off.

_I needed to know my limits…_

"Son, you have a free reign to do whatever you find _suitable and necessary_ to keep her from being alone. Again, don't let her out of your sight. I had lost her to her mother once; I'm not about to lose her _permanently_ to a psycho." he said harshly scaring the living shit out of me.

Shit!

"Sir, what's happening? Do you have any new clues? Is there anything that you're not telling us?" I asked him sceptically.

He looked at me and nodded.

I gulped loudly and waited for him to continue.

"Son, what I say now, needs to stay between the both of us. We don't need people to freak out. If anything of this gets out… we might alert the murderer and we could lose the trail that's leading us to him." He said carefully.

I nodded my affirmation.

He took a quick glance to the entry way, making sure all the others were still busy at the kitchen and with the clean up.

"Okay. Tell me what you've heard about the murdered girls' looks…" he prompted me.

"Umm… if I remember correctly… one of them was blonde the other 2 were brunettes?" I trailed off questioningly.

He sighed and shook his head.

"That's the thing… when we found the 3 victims… all _three_ of them had brunette hair… we only knew that one of them was blonde because her parents confirmed that she was… we still don't know if she was the one to dye her hair or if the murderer had done it before he had killed her." He reported took a deep breath and continued.

"Also, we have noticed that all the victims, even though that they were raped, they were wrapped carefully with a small blanket as if to keep them warm. Their hair was carefully styled and held up in a ponytail. So… all this you might have heard, but… What people don't know yet… is that all the victims' eyes had been removed _viciously_…" he said quietly.

I gasped.

"That's not all…" he continued.

"On the neck of each victim was a tree leaf that was cut to take the shape of a gingerbread man… and a stick-figure, a bit bigger than the gingerbread man figure, made of small branches that had its neck broken" he finished calmly.

I felt the blood drain from my face.

"What does that mean?" I asked him in barely a whisper.

"We got a Criminal-Analyst sent from Seattle. And according to the analysis that's been conducted… he says it could mean that the guy is trying to tell a girl he cares about that even though he's taking care of her… that she still doesn't acknowledge him. As for the tree leaf figure… well, that's something the analyst is still working on. As for the stick-figure, well, this indicates that she's involved with someone he doesn't like and whom he might be hurting on a later stage…" he finished and leaned back.

I gulped loudly.

_This is totally messed up._

After all that I have heard, there is no way in hell that I'm letting _my Bella_ out of my sight. I closed my eyes pinching the bridge of my nose and taking a few deep breaths.

I looked up to see him staring at me with a tired smile on his face.

"You are more like your father than I thought…" he said quietly shaking his head.

_What the hell does that have to do with anything…_

I ignored that last line. I wanted to know what has been done till this point…

"Um… do you have any clues or leads to whom that could be?" I asked him quietly.

He eyed me for a second and answered, "We have no clue of who he is… nothing leads back to him… neither the blankets nor the things he had left with the victims… nothing. The blankets are taken from the girls' places and in the case of the travelling girl… she had it with her in her car. The hair-bands were in the girls' possessions. The hair was combed using _their_ hair brushes… and no prints what so ever were found… his work was simple and precise.

"He has to have good strength to be able to carry them and lay them where he had left them. But still… as I said before… he's gotta be someone you trust. Those girls didn't put much struggle until they had realised he was about to rape them. The bruises were all inflicted because of the rape and not kidnapping. I think they were taken my surprise at what he was doing." He finished and stood up.

I stood up, not knowing what to say and not finding my voice to say anything.

"So, now you are an insider on this. None of what I had said in this room is to get out. This guy could be anyone. He knows his way in this town and in the woods. He could be of any age. So, I'll ask you again… please, be careful and never let her leave your side. That guy wasn't in relationship with any of those girls. He just happened to pass by them." He finished and patted me on the back.

"Don't worry, Chief. Bella will not leave my side. Until you are back safely. I'll be on her case 24/7… with your permission of course." I finished seriously.

This was a grave matter and there was no funny business in it.

"I know I can rely on you, son. I have no doubt that you will take care of her. I can see how you look at her. And even though I don't like the implications of that… not one bit… but deep down, I guess, I can sense that you don't mean her any harm. Bella is an amazing girl, even though she acts _recklessly_ sometimes not caring about the consequences…" he trailed off with a faraway look in his eyes.

I looked at him confused.

The Chief was definitely going nuts!

Bella is a model daughter! I mean other than JC… I doubt that she has ever stepped out of line at any given time.

He shook his head and looked at me again, "Okay, son. I'll leave you for the time being. I'm off to pack for my trip. Don't forget about what I have told you." he gave me a warning finger.

_Huh! As if that's possible... Chief of Creepsville!_

I made my way to the kitchen and spotted James standing at the doorway. I nodded to him with my head gesturing for him to follow me. We went to the living room as I kept a close watch at the door.

"Is it as bad as we think? What do we need to do?" he asked me right away not waiting for me to start.

I liked how he thought. He was practical and got straight to the point.

"It's worse than we thought. What he has asked us to do, I mean about following the girls, was taking it easy. If it was up to me, I'd luck them all at our house and secure the whole house not allowing anyone out or in for that matter." I spoke gravely running my fingers through my hair and pulling at the ends of it.

I saw him take a few deep breaths and tilt his head cracking the disks in his neck.

I could see how stressed he looked and I couldn't blame him. If he was feeling for Vicky as strongly as I was feeling for Bella... need I say more?

"Where are you staying tonight? You are welcome to stay at our house, you know? I'm sure my mother had already extended you an invitation…" I trailed off.

"Thanks, Cullen. Yes, your mother has already offered and right now I'm thinking of taking her up on that offer. I mean I had already booked a room, for Vicky and I, at the hotel. But right now… and after what I had heard, I don't know, man…" he trailed off staring at the ceiling.

_Oh, yeah… this guy was a gonner…_

"I think it's better for you to stay at our house for the night." I decided for him.

"Also, don't listen to Bella if she offers you to stay here at her house. Because she'll take that as an excuse to stay here on her own and her father had warned me not to leave her alone." I told him quickly.

He nodded, "I know what you mean. She always knows how to 'weasel' her way out of things when she feels trapped. So, I'm gonna back you up on this. Okay. So, I'll tell Vicky that we are spending the night at your house, so she can call her parents. We'll go get our stuff and come back. You go and tell Bella to prepare her things for her sleepover." He finished and turned to leave.

"Yeah, okay. Good plan." I told him as I followed him.

He stopped abruptly causing me to bump into him, I looked at him questioningly.

"I know we have started off on the wrong foot, Cullen. But with all this happening, I hope that you won't hold a grudge against me. I really thought you were the attacker…" he apologized.

I looked at him for a few seconds and smiled, "As long as your next punch is to protect Bella or the girls from any jerk, you are forgiven. That punch had put my lights out." I quipped.

"Yeah, yeah. I think my next punch will aim to kill though, if what the Chief had told us was true…" he smiled sadly and shook his head.

"I know what you mean, man." I said sadly.

We went to the kitchen, hearing the laughs and jokes as we approached.

Bella was washing dishes with Vicky drying them using the towel. Alice and Rose were putting all the food in containers and in the fridge. Jasper was holding JC while Emmett was making stupid faces trying to make him laugh.

I made my way to Bella who was finishing off and drying her hands with a towel. She was laughing at something Vicky was saying.

I looked at James who was approaching Vicky and nodded at him minutely. He nodded back as he wrapped his arms around the giggling Vicky.

I smiled and wrapped my arms around Bella's waist holding her close to me, "Missed me, love?" I whispered in her ear causing her to shiver.

I chuckled and kissed her neck.

"Hey. Where have you been? We are almost done here." She turned and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Well, your dad wanted a word with me and James. And don't worry about it, all is good" I said quickly when I felt her tense at the mention of her father.

She relaxed in my arms and smiled.

"Oh, I have good news. I have convinced Vicky to talk to James to stay the night at our house. They'll have dad's bed room, I'm sure he won't mind. I'll go change the bedding in a few minutes." She beamed at me.

Oh my God, James was right.

And as much as I hate to admit it… The Chief was right, too.

_Two points to Chief Swan._

She was definitely trying to 'weasel' her way out of this deal! I looked at James who had heard the exchange and was smirking; he nodded to me in a subtle way not to alert Vicky who was talking to him.

I plastered the biggest smile on my face, "But, love. Your dad has told you to stay at our house. It's safer there since we are a big family. I mean he has already spoken to my parents and all…" he said with at most ease.

She pouted a little and I couldn't help but lean closer and peck that pout.

"But, Edward. I don't want to move my things and stay there. I mean they are okay with staying here. I don't want to burden your parents more than I should. I have James here with me and Vicky will be here…" she trailed off tilting her head and batting her eyelashes at me.

_Another two points to Chief Swan!_

She was trying to play the 'burden' card.

_Not with me, love._

_Not today._

_Not ever!_

I moved back a bit to look directly into her eyes, "Never… _ever_ call yourself a burden. You are _never_ a burden, love." I spoke slowly and sternly.

She was never to play that card with me ever again.

She blushed, "But, Edward. I have a perfectly safe home here. And I have guests. It would be rude to withdraw the offer…" she smiled sweetly at me.

I looked at her baffled. She never ceases to amaze me.

She's still trying to wiggle her way out of this. _Again!_

_Over my dead rotten decomposing dead mouldering dead smelly stale… and did I say dead… yeah… Over my dead body!_

I was getting more frustrated and angrier at her attempts by the second.

I mean… I was frustrated enough as it is… and _Chief of Misery_ made sure of it.

I'm sure my face was showing that I didn't find that attempt funny, "Love, I spoke to James and he's gonna stay the night with Vicky at our house. My mom had already offered and he just told me that he's gonna take it. He even apologized for punching me all on his own, no threats this time." I spoke with finality.

Hell, there are no other excuses that she can throw my way now.

"But, Edward…" she spoke softly and I tensed right away.

I can't believe she was going to argue more! I was seething and I'm sure I was showing.

Jasmine, who saw my red face, started chuckling and hid his face in Vicky's neck.

She continued "… I have laundry, homework and I can't keep moving our stuff all the time…" she argued some more and I was done listening.

I bent down and yanked her body over my shoulder caveman-style.

"ARHG! EDWARD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? PUT ME DOWN!" she bellowed as I made my way out the kitchen.

"Excuse us, guys, we are going to prepare Bella and JC's stuff for the night. Rose and Ali, would you please make sure all is in order while we are done? Thanks." I finished at the door tightening my grip on the flailing girl.

I heard giggling and gurgling coming from JC. Bella stopped flailing suddenly and adjusted herself to look at JC who was waiving his hands at us.

_Oh, he thinks we're playing!_

It's the first time he acts to show what he wants. And I was thrilled. So, I turned to him not caring about Bella's attempts to look at her son.

"Hey, baby boy. You like what I'm doing to your mother?" I cooed at him and then jumped a little making Bella yelp.

He giggled and waived his hands some more causing all the guys and girls to fall into a chorus of 'Awwww' and 'So, sweet'.

"Put me down, caveman!" Bella, who was still trying to get down, seethed at me.

"Not happening, love. Now stop trying to get down, the only way I'm letting you down is in your room to prepare your things" I quipped and spanked her playfully on her bum making her yelp causing all the guys and girls to burst out laughing and getting more giggles out of JC.

"We'll be back soon, kid. Take care of our baby, guys." With that I turned and tightened my grip even more on, the now desperate to get down, Bella.

I made my quickly to her room meeting up with the Chief at top of the stairs.

"Some people were trying to wiggle their way out of the deal, weren't they?" he quipped eyeing his daughter.

"Yep. We are going to grab the stuff and head to our house. Don't worry, Chief, I've got everything under control. I'll ask Emmett to secure the house before we leave." I told him as I turned to go to Bella's room.

"DAD! Tell him to put me down. James can stay with me here, there is no need to…" she started but was interrupted by her father.

"Bells, it's already been agreed upon. I'm not gonna have you in this house on your own! Now, don't give the boy hard time, will you…" he finished sternly.

He looked at me not giving another glance to his daughter, "Son, as you were…" and he continued downstairs.

I snickered as I heard Bella huff at him, then continued my journey to her room.

I lowered her gently to her bed and stood beside her waiting for her to get up to start preparing her things.

She huffed again and turned her back to me not making a move to get out of bed.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest and counted to ten not wanting to sound impatient.

"Well…" I trailed off waiting for her to move.

"I'm not going. You are all not making any sense! I can't believe Charlie took your side! And what's with all that 'son' crap?!" with that she turned to me and sat down on her bed.

"What did Charlie tell you? Why is he acting so nice to you all of a sudden?! I'm not going till you give me a good solid reason that I need to go to your house." She matched my move and crossed her arms across her chest.

I pinched the bridge of my nose taking a few deep breaths.

"Love, I need you to get up and start packing _now_." I said as quietly as I could.

Arguing was futile with this 'stubborn' Bella.

"But, Edward…" she started and I held my hand up silencing her.

I bent down so that my eyes were level with her and held her gaze. I guess my eyes were shooting death-rays at this point because she backed away a bit.

"Are you still arguing after what your dad had told you and after what you have heard about those murders…?" I asked her in grave tone causing her to back away some more and I saw her shivering a bit.

I loved that I had that effect on her. I wondered what would happen when, not if, I dominate her in the bedroom.

I could see her breathing becoming more laboured and that her eyes were glazed a bit.

"Umm… I guess… I mean… it's just that…" she stuttered as she started retreating to get away from my approaching crawling form.

"Just what?" I asked her still crawling towards her and trapping her against the headboard of the bed.

"Edward… I…" she stopped when she couldn't move any more.

"Gotcha!" I whispered in her ear making her shiver more.

I wrapped her in my arms and felt her relax against me. This felt so right. I stroked her hair and kissed her forehead.

I heard her sigh and felt her lean more into my body.

"Please, tell me you're done arguing…" I pleaded with her a bit wanting to get that fear out of her knowing that I had scared her before.

She giggled and hid her face against my neck. I smiled as I felt the heat radiate from her face; she was blushing.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight as long as that crazy psycho is out there…" I spoke softly as I stroked her back.

She hummed contentedly and wrapped her arms around me.

"This feels nice…" she said in a muffled voice against me making me chuckle.

"This is _definitely_ nice… and I tell you what… this is something I can get used to_…"_ I confirmed as I kissed the top of her head.

"So…" I spoke as I moved back a bit, "You need help with your mission?" I asked her with a smile.

"Um… no. I've got it. All the stuff is ready anyway…" she answered shyly as she started getting out of bed.

_What the fuck!?_

I closed my arms around her again and scowled at her, "Then why the hell were you giving me all this hard time?!" I asked her irritated.

She squirmed out of my grip and got out of her bed, "'Cause…" she answered in a low voice.

I groaned.

She was giving me high-blood pressure and about to give me a heart attack… _over a sleepover_!

This girl was gonna be the death of me I swear.

I sat on the bed scowling at her moving form the whole time. I saw her giving me sideway glances knowing that I was still spiked at her attempts.

Once she was done, she put JC's bag on her shoulder and started carrying her small bag out of the room. I stood from bed and took them both from her.

She looked at me with a shy smile, "Thanks…" she muttered softly.

I couldn't help but smile knowing that she was feeling guilty now, "You are welcome, love. Let's go." I let her lead the way and followed closely behind.

After Emmett secured the house, we all went home and settled all our things.

James and Vicky took the room opposite from mine; leaving the same old adjacent room for Bella and JC.

I set everything down and helped her prepare JC for bed. We fed him and gave him a bath.

'Baby bathing' particularly was becoming a favourite activity of mine. JC was gurgling and smiling the whole time. And to top it all up… his wet body had soaked up Bella's T-shirt making it stick to her slender form and making her now hard nipples almost visible through the thin material.

I took JC from her so that she can change her cloths to something more comfortable and dry… much to my chagrin.

_Oh well… you can't get all your dreams all at once, can you…_

I mean…

I have my girlfriend here for a sleepover.

And with the Chief of Police's consent.

_It can't get better than this._

Unless…

My girlfriend was standing in front of me in the smallest towel wrapped around her small form.

_Yep! Much better!_

Shit!

I gaped at her abashedly making her squirm under my gaze.

"I'm just gonna go for a quick shower…" she trailed off as she hurried to the bathroom.

I shook my head to get myself out of the daze. I looked at JC who was latched to his bottle, "Son… that minx of a mother of yours is testing my limits… doing all she's doing she is bound to get the caveman out of me for good… and when she does… only God knows what I'll be doing to her."

He reached his hand and touched my face humming at me.

"Yes, exactly… don't worry though; I'll keep my temper and that caveman in check just for your sake…" I cooed at him.

His eyelids started to droop slowly falling into blissful sleep. I put the bottle aside and wiped his mouth with his small towel. I managed to burp him and laid him in his bassinet.

I wasn't sure… but Bella has taken longer than normal to get out of the shower.

I'm sure the water has been tuned off for sometime now…

I approached the door and knocked, "Bella… are you okay?" I asked her quietly.

"Umm… yeah… I'm okay." She didn't sound right.

She got me more worried. Maybe she had hurt herself…

"Love, what is it? Are you hurt?" I asked her with a worried tone.

"Just… I'll be out in a few minutes…" she stammered.

_A few minutes?!_

I was sure that the water has been turned off for a few minutes now!

"Bella? What's going on? Open the door!" I told her as I tried to turn the handle and found it locked.

"Edward! I'm fine… it's just. Just let it go… I need a few minutes!" she called back at me in an irritated tone.

_Yep! Definitely something wrong!_

"Let me put it this way… you have till the count of three and then I'm coming in. One… Two… Thr…" I stopped when I heard the lock turn in the door.

"Okay, okay… I'm coming out! Sheesh!" she said quickly and yanked the door open.

I was about to ask her what was wrong but the sight in front of me had left me speechless.

My Bella was standing there wearing _only_ the wife-beater that I had left earlier that day in the bathroom.

No. _Correction_…

She was wearing a _very_ wet… _very_ transparent… sexy as hell wife-beater of mine.

It barely reached her mid thighs… and did I say that she was only wearing _that_…

I looked again…

The wet material was clinging to her breasts which were clearly visible; no bra… _Check._

She held the hem of the material far from her body but still seeing that she had no underwear there… _Check_.

Yep!

_She was only wearing that._

My wandering eyes reached up to her eyes and realized that her face was bright red.

I haven't noticed that my mouth was catching flies until I saw her reach and close it for me.

"Ummm… I opened the water but it was too hot so I reached quickly to point the shower-head away from me; and I managed to spray everything in the bathroom. My clothes, towel and your clothes as well… So… I was just waiting for my clothes to dry a bit so that I can come out and get new ones, but you were being stubborn so I had to open the door like this." She huffed at my gaping form.

I still stood there not wanting to break eye-contact with that delicious sight.

I can see clearly that she was cold.

Her pert nipples were standing at attention just like my now raging hard-on.

She was _very cold _indeed_._

But my meditation was cut short by Bella's form brushing against me as she went into the room and to her bag.

"Edward! Would you please stop staring!" she snapped at me.

"Uh… sorry, love. I just… I mean… I wasn't… I thought…" I stuttered as I looked away from her.

I went into the bathroom and closed the door leaning against it to take a few calming breaths.

Fucking hell!

You'd think I'd never seen a girl before!

_Well… at least not like that Cullen._

It was definitely a sight to behold.

I just hope that I hadn't frightened her…

I splashed my face with some water willing my hard-on to go away…

Okay… I need to distract myself…

_Bella's form from a few seconds before flashed before my closed eyelids._

_Nope… wrong image!_

Okay… Emmett…

_Yeah… better. Problem is dissolving._

Emmett and Jasper dancing…

_Much better…_

Emmett, Jasper singing and dancing to the 'All that Jazz' routine from Chicago wearing make up and tights.

_That took care of the whole problem._

I snickered a bit at the image and got out of the bathroom.

I scanned the room for Bella and found her brushing her wet hair wrapped up in a _dry _towel_._

I could see that she was now wearing a bra…

_Damn_!

She made eye contact with me through the mirror and huffed a little.

Apparently she was not happy with me at the moment.

I came from behind her and wrapped my arms around her petit form holding her close to me… this was becoming one of my favourite positions.

"Sorry for acting like an ass… but I was truly worried about you. You were in there far too long and it was quiet. I thought you had hurt yourself and you weren't saying anything…" I apologised against her neck kissing it lightly.

"You could have just listened to me instead of acting all crazy! Forcing me to open the door with practically nothing on me!" she huffed again.

"Hmmm… but it was worth it, love" I snickered against her neck as she elbowed me.

"See now. I don't have anything to wear for the night… my pyjamas are all wet…" she said sadly.

My body stiffened at that revelation.

And that _specific_ part of my body had stiffened more than I cared to admit!

Shit!

I swear this girl was going to be the death of me.

And her attire didn't help the 'matter' at hands.

I breathed her in for a few seconds, "What do you suggest?" I asked her impishly.

I ground my stiffened member into her towel covered ass to emphasize on what I was thinking making her breath hitch.

"Edward! The guys are expecting us downstairs!" she snapped and un-entangled herself out of my grip.

"What I meant was… I would appreciate it if you can _lend_ me something from your clothes… I know that Rose and Alice's wardrobe won't be of help to me. So, can I borrow an old shirt to wear for the night…" she asked me sheepishly.

I sighed sadly. I was hoping that she had a better plan… at least one that didn't involve clothing…

"Sure, love…" I said sadly.

I went to my closet and pulled out my old football shirt and a boxer and handed them to her.

She took them with a quick 'thanks' and went to the bathroom to put them on.

A minute later she came out with my shirt on her body.

It was too long that it almost reached her knees. The collar was so wide that it hung on one of her shoulders leaving the other bare and her hair was pulled up in a high ponytail.

Hmmm… she looked so delectable.

She looked at me smiling leaning against the bathroom door, "Do you approve Mr. Cullen?" she asked me seductively.

"Come here, Ms. Swan… and I'll let you know if I approve…" I trailed off beckoning her with my finger.

She approached me swaying her hips as she walked up to me.

I trailed my eyes on her hips as she approached then reached and grabbed them crashing her body to mine.

"Feel this, love?" I asked her as I ground my aching stiff member into her shirt-covered body making her moan.

"I do approve. Hmm… you want more confirmation?" I asked her as I started to lift the hem of the shirt.

"Edward! All the guys are waiting for us!" she yelped and yanked herself out of my grasp.

Minx!

She went downstairs to catch up with the guys.

I stayed behind for a few minutes trying to relax my now _very_ horny body.

I checked on JC one last time and went downstairs.

I found Jasper and Emmett playing Halo, while Rose, Alice and Vicky were browsing in one of the fashion magazines.

James and Bella were nowhere in sight.

I didn't like that.

I know that James was one of the good guys now, but still…

"Ali, where is Bella?" I asked her hesitantly.

"Umm… I don't know. Maybe she's in the kitchen getting snacks. Hey, can you please get me a refill while you're there… thanks, Eddie" she handed me her glass and turned her attention back to Rose and Vicky.

I huffed in annoyance and went to the kitchen to get her the refill.

I heard a hushed conversation coming from the kitchen. And as I came closer I recognised the voices of Bella and James arguing.

"… hears about it the wrong way! This isn't your secret any more, Bells… He _needs to know…" _James emphasized on that last part.

I froze midstride.

_What secret?_

_Who needs to know_?!

"James, I can't tell him right now. I need to wait till all the papers are signed. I can't risk it. And how come your mom isn't updating me on anything any more? If she's having hard time, I need to know so that I can assign a lawyer."

_What Papers_?!

_What risk?!_

And what the hell does James' mother have to do with anything?!

_Lawyer?!_

I gulped as I stood in the dark waiting to hear more. I didn't mean to eavesdrop… but damn! What the hell was going on… Was Bella in trouble?

My heart was beating frantically.

"No, Bells. My mom is not having hard time… but these things take time, you know. All the same, you still need to tell Edward! No boyfriend would want to hear about _this_ from someone else…" James whisper-yelled at her.

_Huh?!_

_Tell me what?_

_What wasn't she telling me?_

_Another guy?_

_Trouble with the Law?_

_WHAT!_

By this point my body was trembling.

Suddenly, pain shot through my left hand as I heard what sounded like glass being shattered. I looked slowly at my hand to find the glass that Alice had given me was crushed to pieces and my blood was gushing from a big wound in my palm.

"Edward?!" I head Bella shriek before everything went black for the second time that evening.

**End Chapter Fourteen**

**AN: *Ducks and hides under the cover*… please don't kill me… I know there hasn't been lemons here but I hope that the small exchanges were more than okay ;) And more of that will come soon… so no worry *evil grin* R&R, please… Love you all**


	18. Chapter 15

**Summery**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, espclly, with the green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessive-ward. Razzle Dazzle Nominee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: to all of you my amazing readers… I'm so sorry for the long wait… life has been crazy. Okay people… be prepared for one epic chapter and one of the biggest surprises at the end of it.**

**I want to say that YDKA, has over 120,000 hits! That last chapter received around 250 reviews! And is in the favourites and alert lists of more than 1000 people! Thank you all for doing this. Also, the reviews you've been throwing my way were beyond amazing!**

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**And now without further ado, here it is…**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Fifteen**

Ugh!

"… done. His hand will need to stay wrapped a few days till the stitches are removed…" dad spoke softly.

"But is he going to be okay, Dr. Cullen? He's been out for a few hours now… I mean it's past 7 am now…" the panicked voice of my Bella spoke from beside me.

_Oh, I'm okay, love… wait… WHAT!?_

_7 am?! That's the whole fucking night!_

"Yes, Bella. He's going to be fine. I think the trauma that occurred from the loss of blood along with the earlier incident with James had taken its toll on him… and since he hasn't taken enough rest, like I had advised him, well, you can see the result… his body is trying to protect itself… that's why it's taking him a few hours to recover. But I'm sure he's going to be okay… I would have taken him to the hospital if I thought there was anything serious." dad assured her in a rather loud voice.

_Dude, drop the damn megaphone!_

I tried to open my eyes but was blinded by the lights in the room. I groaned loudly.

_Those fuckin' lights! _

_People! Direct the lights at the one using the megaphone. Back to you, dad._

"Edward! Oh my God, Edward, are you okay?" Bella asked me in a hushed panicky voice.

"He seems to be coming around." Dad declared loudly.

_For the last time, drop the fucking megaphone!_

"Esme, dear, did you check with the airport on our flight? Is it going to be on time?" he asked my mother as I tried to open my eyes again.

_Flight…?_

_Ugh! People! No data processing before eyes opening._

"Yes, dear. Our flight will be on time. The flight takes off at 10 am, I have prepared everything, don't worry. How is Edward?" mom asks from somewhere beside my dad.

"He'll be fine, dear. He's had worse injuries than this." Dad stated firmly.

_Whooaa! Tender much!?_

I felt a light touch brushing the hair off my forehead. My eyes fluttered open to the sight of Bella leaning over me with worry clouding her face as she reached out her fingers and ran through my hair.

"Hey…" I said in a gruff voice smiling slightly at her.

"Hey, you. You gave me… I mean _us_ a bit of a scare." She whispered with a smile, although I could tell from the look on her face that she was still worried.

She kissed my forehead and I sighed in content as her scent wafted around me. I closed my eyes again as I still felt a bit light-headed.

"Edward, dear, are you alright? How are you feeling now?" mom asked softly but it still felt like she was yelling.

I groaned loudly as I buried my face in the pillow, "Too loud!" I groaned out.

"I think loud voices are disturbing him" dad chuckled.

_And the award of 'Stating the obvious' this year goes to…_

I leaned back opening my good eye to glare at my dad.

"Okay, son. So here it is… the glass you broke opened more than one deep cut in your hand and I had to do quite a _few_ number of stitches. The problem was that you lost some blood, because no one had tried to stop the bleeding right away since they were distracted with a 'certain someone' who had passed out at the sight of your blood…" he quipped in a hushed voice and gazed at Bella who was blushing profusely.

"Sorry, I can't stand the sight of blood and you were bleeding a lot…" Bella's shy voice mumbled from beside me.

The room filled with people's snickers along with my own causing her to blush some more. She groaned and buried her face in my chest. I wrapped her in my arm, being careful not to bump my throbbing hand.

"We sure were a sight, you and I, weren't we?" I chuckled when she slapped me on my good arm.

"So… you lost some blood and apparently with the punch you got from James earlier, your body needed some more time to recover. You'll be feeling a bit dizzy and/or light-headed and you'll need some sugar in your system in order for your body to function. And I want you to sleep a bit more, no more excuses now. Bella is here and I'm sure that she'll take care of your needs while we are away…" he finished off with a smirk and patted my knee.

He got off the bed and I turned my glance to Bella. She was gnawing on her bottom lip as if trying to figure out what to do with a disobedient kid.

She looked around to see that all the people were filing out of the room; leaving us alone there.

"What were you thinking?" She blamed softly, still running her fingers through my hair.

I looked at her incredulously.

'_What was I thinking?' was she serious!_

I smiled tightly and looked sternly into her eyes.

_Well, now since you brought it up and asked so nicely, love…_

"Well… since you brought it up. I was thinking; 'what the fuck was _my_ girlfriend hiding from me?' or maybe… 'What's the secret that would make _James,_ of all people, argue with you, _my girlfriend,_ to tell _me_, _your boyfriend,_ about?'…" I asked her with a clipped tone, causing her to halt her action and stare at me white-faced.

I heard some shuffling from the door but I didn't acknowledge it. I was too consumed with the pain that was coursing through my body and ache in my heart to notice anything else at the moment.

_How can she be keeping secrets from me?!_

"What? Are you seriously still debating whether you should tell me about it? Am I your boyfriend or not, Isabella?" I asked her harshly as I straightened myself in bed leaning against the headboard.

She stared at me with wide eyes and a pale face. I knew I caught her off-guard, but damn it if I wasn't feeling too hurt and pissed off to care.

She opened her mouth and closed it for a few seconds.

"Does the last question need that much time for you to answer? ANSWER ME, DAMN IT!" I snapped at her harshly and clutched her arm with my good hand in a vice grip; making her gasp.

"Yes… you are… um… my boyfriend." She stuttered.

"Good. Now that we have established that…" I seethed at her and loosened my grip a bit, but still holding her in place.

"Let's see… What secret is there that a girl wouldn't want her boyfriend to know… what? You have another child? You're still in love with the baby's father? No, wait… You have hooked up with another guy after the father dumped you and you want to go back to him?" I said with more venom not caring about her tear-filled eyes.

_The Slytherin basilisk's venom had nothing on me._

I knew I was acting like an ass towards her, but who can blame me. I was feeling so betrayed that I didn't care who I hurt.

"Ed… Edward… I… why are you being like this?" she asked me with trembling voice, her tears now running freely down her soft cheeks.

I looked at her incredulously again.

_She was joking for sure!_

"Are you fucking kidding me?! I have bared my soul to you. I have told you everything that is to know about me good and bad. And we have agreed before that there should be no secrets… only for me to find out… and _by chance might I add… _that you are still holding a secret. A secret that _James_ knows about and I don't!" at this stage I was sitting straight up not minding how blurry my mind was.

"And… to hear _James_ trying to convince you to tell me _your secret_! I…" I seethed but was cut off by someone yanking Bella from my arms and snapping at me.

"Pipe down, Asshole. It's not what you think." James wrapped his arm around the now right out sobbing Bella.

"Pipe down! Who the fuck do you think you are to tell me to pipe down…" I stopped when I saw the red-faced Jasper standing at the door and a scared-looking Alice peeking from behind him.

Jasper and Alice came in and closed the door behind them. Jasper took a look at Bella and came to stand by my bed narrowing his eyes at me.

Alice went directly to Bella to comfort her; taking the place of James who came to stand beside the seething Jasper.

"What the fuck is going on?" Jasper snapped in a harsh whisper.

Before I could answer, I saw James roll his eyes at me and answer Jasper, "He was _eavesdropping_ while I was talking to Bella last night. And heard some snippets of my conversation with Bella when I was telling her that she'd better tell him about that _thing_ and all… and _'Drama Queen'_ here thought that she's cheating on him or something." He quipped, shaking his head.

What the hell?!

_Jasper is in on it too?_

"I told you that you should have told him, Bella…" Alice said to the _still _sobbing Bella, who was wrapped in Alice's arms.

_Alice too?!_

"They know?" I asked dubiously.

Bella looked up a little to see me glaring daggers at her making her shrink back into Alice's embrace. I locked gaze with her, "You told _my sister _and_ her boyfriend… _but_ not me?!_ I…" I stared at her unbelievingly.

"I… I was g… g… going to t… tell you…" she tried to say through her sobbing but I couldn't listen.

"Tell me when?" I all but yelled at her.

"I said pipe down, Asshole. It's nothing bad!" James ordered me in a low threatening voice and grabbed me by the collar staring me dead in the eye.

"_Edward_… you are hurting Bella…" Jasper warned in a low voice.

"I never fucking hurt her! She's the one who's keeping secrets from me!" I snapped at him.

"Edward, calm down. It's not what you think, man. It's quite the opposite of what you think! So, shut the fuck up and let us talk rationally… you're over-reacting over nothing! You don't want to say something that you might regret later on…" Jasper said in his collected manner while keeping a firm grip over the seething James, beside him, who was staring daggers at me clenching and unclenching his fists as if waiting to pounce.

_Damn it!_

My head was pounding and my heart was aching. I mean, even during my predicament with Vicky, I never felt this way before.

I took a few calming breaths when the most ridiculous thought came to me.

"Wait… I think I know what it is…" I said with a smirk grabbing their attention, only the sounds of sniffling coming from Bella was heard as they waited for me to speak.

I looked at Bella who was looking at me white-faced and spoke out my thought, "You discovered that you are pregnant _again_…" I quipped making her and Alice gasp.

"That's it!" James fumed and launched at me.

Jasper saw James and stood in front of him blocking him from my site.

"James! NO!" Bella yelled and threw herself on James from the back pulling him away from me.

Alice came to stand by me looking like she's gonna murder me and I couldn't help but snap at her, "What, Alice? Aren't you happy that you'll be buying baby stuff for Bella's second born child?" I asked her with a smirk knowing that the others can hear me.

I saw James struggling more to get to me, while cursing under his breath. I snickered until an unexpected thing happened.

I felt a sharp blow knocking the wind out of me. I looked at the cause; and saw Alice's raised hand after she slapped me.

I covered my face with my hand and looked at her with shock. She actually slapped me.

"Well, I can't buy baby stuff for her second born, till I buy stuff for her _first_ born first, _right_, stupid?" she asked me venomously.

Forgetting my pain; and noticing that the guys had quieted down, I looked at her confused. What the fuck was she saying? She was buying things for JC since he's been here!

"What do you mean? You've practically bought half of the contents of the baby stores for JC!" I spoke as if trying to explain to a two-year-old.

She raised her hand to hit me again, but was blocked by Bella's from throwing herself on me in defence trying to block the hit, "Alice, don't! He's hurt! You'll hurt him more!" Bella said while she held me to her chest still blocking me from Alice's assault.

I looked at Bella to see the tears still staining her pale face. I felt like I was about to cry.

I was acting like a fucking jerk towards her and she was still protecting me.

"I am about to do more than hurt him, Bella. I'm going to _kill him._ I mean, here you are taking care of your brother, even though you didn't have to. Protecting my asshole-of-a-brother's _ass_ all the while he's accusing you of being a _slut_…" she seethed trying to remove Bella from her way.

_What_?

_What did she just say?_

_What brother?_

"What _brother_?!" I asked her as if she has lost her mind.

"JC is her _brother_, penny-head, not her son! God! For someone so smart, you're so thick sometimes!" she snapped at me.

My mouth all but hit the floor. I snapped my gaze to Bella who was had a terrified look on her face.

_JC was her… brother? HER BROTHER!_

_Oh my God! What have I done?_

I heard Jasper cursing softly as he tried to calm the fussing Alice by attempting to hold her in his arms. James was still glaring at me daring me to utter another word.

I shook my head trying to grasp that piece of information. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know how to act. How would someone react to such information?

"Is this true?" I asked Bella softly while my gaze was focused on a spot on the wall in front of me; not really seeing anything in particular.

When she didn't speak, I turned my head to meet her gaze. She looked like she was afraid of how I might react. And who was I kidding. I mean, after that out burst I just got her through, even _I_ wasn't sure of how _I_ would react.

She nodded slowly not daring to speak out. I nodded suddenly feeling really light-headed. I took a few deep breaths like my dad had told me to do before and stayed silent for a few minutes.

I felt drained out. I leaned, involuntary, more into Bella's body not knowing how to think or what to say and closed my eyes. I felt her hold me tighter to her with one arm while the other stroked my hair softly.

"Why did you do that, Alice? I was supposed to tell him. But not like this. Look at him! Your dad warned us about his blood pressure rising and now he looks like he's about to pass out again." She accused Alice softly.

"Bells, if he was your boyfriend, he wouldn't have accused you of such things." James said in an accusing voice.

"James, you were the one who had told me that it was wrong for me to hold this secret from him. I can't say that I'm happy with the 'accusations' he had thrown my way… but I can't fully blame him either!" she sounded so tired and I felt her lean back to the headboard while still holding me to her body.

"Bells, are you okay?" Jasper asked her softly. I opened my eyes and adjusted myself a little to look at her face.

"No, Jasper, I'm not okay…" She answered him slowly, "I'm tired. Wait, no… that's not it… I'm beyond that…" She said with a laboured breath.

"I mean with all that's been happening the last 24 hours… Let's see… uh… first it was Edward… getting punched in the face, cutting his hand and now look at him… which is all because of me, I might add. Second, I'm staying at the neighbours' house like a fucking charity case, only 'cause my dad thinks that I can't take care of myself and my kid. And third, just moments ago, my boyfriend accused me of being a slut. So, no… I'm not _fucking_ okay! I… I'm j… just… I… I… I just can't…" with that she burst into tears; burying her face into my hair her body convulsing with sobs.

"Oh, Bella, honey. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like this. But my brother was being an ass and… uh…" Alice stopped her stammering when she noticed that Bella wasn't even listening with all her sobbing.

I righted myself leaning against the headboard and gathered her in my arms, I let her rest her head in the crook of my neck rubbing soothing circles on her back all the while I pecked the crown of her head.

"Happy now?" James glared at me as he approached, "Come here, Bells. I'll take care of you…" he started to pull her away by the hand but I wasn't having that.

I swatted his hand away with my good hand and glared back, "Don't you fuckin' touch her." I said in a low threatening voice.

He took a step back narrowing his eyes at me. While Jasper and Alice just stood there shifting their eyes between the both of us not knowing how to act or what to do.

"If you really wanted to 'take care' of her as you say, you could have fucking told me. You too, Jazz, or even you, Alice. I mean it's not like I can't keep a secret. What were you afraid of?" I fumed at the three of them.

"You have no right to be angry at any of us. Look at how you are acting, for heaven's sake. You doubted her and she hasn't even been out of your sight! And it was not our secret to tell in the first place!" James took the reign from the guys; snapping back at me.

"Well, you could have at least given me a hint. Anything! I mean I don't care whether JC is her son or not…" Jasper cut me off.

"Oh, we know you don't care whether JC is her son or not; we heard about all your 'encounters' with her… Alice had told me what you had called Bella. You even got grounded by your parents for that." Jasper interrupted me with a glare.

"And I have apologised for that and I'll continue to apologize for the rest of my life. And _stop_ interrupting me. As I was saying, I don't care if JC is her son or not; but what I'm pissed off about is why the hell was it necessary to lie to me? She told you both, for heaven's sake" I shot in disbelief.

"Edward, you don't remember how bad you treated Bella at the beginning. It was only when dad talked to you that you started to come around. And I won't say that it wasn't a good thing, 'cause it was great. But, to be quite honest, if I put myself in Bella's place, I wouldn't have confided in you either…" Alice said sheepishly.

"Thank you, sis. That was really helpful…" I said with a bitter smile.

"Sorry, Edward, but you really needed to hear it. I mean Bella liked you from the beginning and she really wasn't sure whether you have really come around. Let's be frank, till the end of the summer, you were man-whoring left and right! In other words… you weren't yourself. You can't blame her for being reluctant to trust you with a secret that might cause her to lose her brother…" Alice sat at the edge of the bed talking; while keeping an eye on Bella whose sobs had quieted a bit.

"Think about it, Edward. You are possessive by nature. Remember the first time you saw Mike Newton talking to Bella." She asked me with an evil grin.

My body went rigid right away, remembering when I saw him at the mall talking to her, "That wasn't cool, Ali. You know that he was all but molesting her! I was just protecting her from him!" I snapped at her.

"He was just being nice to her and you know it!" Alice snapped at me and I glared at her.

"Anyway, my point is, you are too possessive of anything that involves you. And I know that you love her. But, your relationship with Bella, even though it is intense… it's still fragile. Especially, since it's still in its early stages! Bella actually wanted to tell you, but she wanted to make sure that it was the right time… she was afraid that you'd act… well… like you just did, I guess. I mean… did you even hear yourself, Edward? You were too harsh! You accused her of being a…" She trailed off when Bella's sobs came back a bit louder.

"I… I really don't know what I was thinking. I always felt that there was something that she wasn't telling me. I was afraid that she had someone back in Phoenix that she wasn't telling me about. It wasn't the thought of a son that scared me as much as the thought of the _father_ behind him. She had told me once that he'd always be in her heart and that she'd never hate him. I mean as long as there was a chance for him to come back and claim his son; it was always a possibility that I would lose her to him since she was sure not to leave her son... He had more right to her heart than me. And that scared me shitless!" I snapped at the three of them.

"Can you even begin to imagine how I felt when I overheard you and her talking, James? What would you have me think? Especially with all those encrypted looks you were giving each other most of the time. Yes, _buddy_, you weren't as subtle as you think. I saw those glances and they drove me crazy!" I snapped at his shocked face.

"Whenever she gave me answers or tried to reassure me… it always felt like she was keeping something from me. So, what would you have me do? I just… the only thing I knew here… was the fact that I couldn't lose her…" I stopped feeling tired all of a sudden.

Again that fuzzy feeling in my brain returned. I closed my eyes, leaning my head back and took a few deep breaths.

I noticed that the sound of Bella's sobs was gone. I opened my eyes and looked down. I found her head tilted and resting against my shoulder. She was hiccupping softly and looking at me with worried wet eyes.

My heart gave a little tug. Even after I hurt her she still worried about me.

"Are you okay?" she asked me softly.

I looked at her forgetting the other 3 pairs of eyes that were in the room with us.

"As good as can be expected…" I trailed off afraid of the words that were to come next out of her pretty mouth.

She lowered her gaze nodding minutely. I kept my gaze on her. I raised my good hand and wiped the tears from her face.

Before she could speak again, I heard a huff from beside me; I looked up to see James glaring at me, "Fucking Penny-head..." he muttered under his breath, but I heard him.

"You don't fuckin' call me that. Only Bella gets to do that…" I stopped telling him off when I heard Bella snort through one of her sobs.

I looked at her, cocking an eyebrow at her; making her hide her face in my T-shirt, "You can bet your pretty ass I'm the only one who can call you that…" she mumbled softly.

I couldn't help but chuckle a bit, earning a small giggle from the hiccupping Bella. I accidently looked up to see the guys looking at us like we had lost our minds.

Bella and I looked up at them quizzically.

They shook their heads at us and started walking to the door.

"I'll take care of JC, Bella. Get some sleep" Alice said without turning; and left the room closing the door behind her.

I sighed and closed my eyes trying to clear my hazy thoughts.

"Are we okay?" Bella asked softly, "I know I should have trusted you before. I know you love me as I love you… I know that there are so many things that we need to work on. But, Edward, I really was afraid. I mean… I got JC and I'm not even his _legal_ guardian. Tanya, James' mother, is working on the adoption papers which hopefully I will be able to sign by the time I'm 18, which is really soon." The words flew out of her mouth and I couldn't help but stare at her not uttering one word.

When she saw that I was still silent, she continued, "I know that you like JC… well, more than 'like him', you told me once that you feel like he's your son. I hope you still feel the same now that you know that he's not my son. Mom was in her month when the accident happened, Phil and mom didn't suffer much and I thought that I lost them all. I passed out at the hospital, but when I woke up, James was there to tell me that I wasn't left alone… He told me that JC survived. And, since mom was dead and my next legal guardian was Charlie… I was so afraid of what he would do… I really thought that he'd give him up for adoption, since he was fighting a lot with mom those last few years…" she stopped taking a much needed breath, but continued.

"So, basically, I didn't want Charlie getting custody over JC, because I didn't know what he would do and I wasn't going to chance it. So, I asked Tanya to start preparing the adoption papers and start on selling the house. We got JC out of the hospital with Tanya's help. Since she's my temporary guardian and everything was set. I made sure that Tanya calls Charlie to tell him about the accident and convinced her to tell him that he was my son. I knew Charlie wouldn't be happy at all with it, but I also knew that he wouldn't try to take him away from me, especially if he sees how well I manage everything." she stopped and looked at me gauging my reaction.

I nodded for her to continue, so she did, "Tanya had given me some money temporarily till the house is sold. I bought the car and deposited the rest of the money in my account. James helped me to drive up here… that was when we first met at that store… remember?" she asked me with the one of the most amazing smiles gracing her lips.

I couldn't help but replicate it, "I sure do, love." I bent down and pecked her lips with mine. She sighed and looked at me again.

"So… are we okay?" she asked me worriedly again, this time waiting for me to say something.

I looked at her shaking my head at her in disbelief.

I saw the smile falling off her pretty lips and her eyes starting to brim with tears. I guess she took my shaking my head the wrong way.

"You are the one who shouldn't be okay with me…" I trailed off at the confused look on her face.

"Love, I have said the most terrible obnoxious things to you. I didn't even give you the chance to explain; I just threw my accusations at you not caring if they hurt you or if they even were true. And even though I said them… deep in my heart, I knew they weren't right. I was just afraid that I was losing you and I wanted to hurt you like I was hurting…" I said remorsefully.

"I mean… I should be out of this fucking bed; imploring and pleading like my life depends on it, 'cause it actually does… and beg you to take me back. And then beg you some more to allow me to make it up to you someway… anyway you want. And then after that… you'd be reminding me for the rest of my life of how close I was to losing you forever; and how I should be thankful that you gave me this one _small_ _chance_ at making it right again." I stopped talking to take a deep breath.

Bella was looking at me with a wide smile and tears streaming down her face. I wiped them with my good hand and kissed her lips softly to continue.

"But, instead of all the above… I have _you,_ the love of my life, near me taking care of me and asking _me_ if we were okay…" I felt one single tear leave my eye and slide down my stubbly cheek to the edge of my chin and drop to Bella's cheek to mix with her tears.

"I think it's safe to say that we're okay… on two conditions…" I told her in a serious tone.

She looked at me sceptically, narrowing her eyes at me, "I thought you said that you were the one who should be begging. I don't think that you should be the one putting conditions here…" she poked my chest, with her index finger, accusingly.

I kept a serious face and continued, "First… you need to agree with me that there should be no more secrets between us…" I trailed off to see her reaction.

She nodded quickly and I continued, "No secrets at all. Like I need to know everything about you… even the small details that you think they don't matter to you… do you agree?" I asked in a final tone and she nodded again.

"Good." I smiled and leaned back closing my eyes. I pried one eye opened, to see what she was doing and saw her looking at me expectantly.

I opened the other eye to look at her innocently, "What?" I asked her sweetly making her gasp and swat my chest.

"What the fuck do you mean with 'What?'!? Spit it, Edward, or I swear I'll make you beg for longer than forever; and I'll even enjoy it!" she snapped at me not knowing that this was exactly what I wanted of her.

"That's exactly what I want you to do… I want you to make me beg, like I expected you to do in the first place. And when I'm done begging… you'll make sure to rub it in my face that you took me back." I said seriously.

She rolled her eyes, "James was right… you _are_ a drama queen." She quipped and I glared at her.

"Well, don't forget that I'll have to make it up to you." I reminded her.

"So, I take it we're okay then?" she looked at me hopefully, sniffling a little.

"Absolutely, love. I'm so sorry for overreacting and acting like a total Jerk…" I apologised one last time before I leaned back down; pulling Bella to lie half of her body on top of mine.

I hadn't realised how tired I was till my head hit the pillow. I sighed continently and wrapped my arm around her.

"Aren't we gonna kiss and make up?" Bella asked sweetly from beside me. God, she was so sweet and innocent. I turned my head and kissed her softly on the lips savouring her taste in my mouth.

_Innocent_…

Why does this word suddenly means so much now?

My mind raked all bits and pieces of information I had gathered in the last half an hour when it hit me.

JC = brother.

Brother = Not son.

Not son = no father.

No father = no… FUCK!

That's exactly it!

No fuck… _literally_.

_Could it be?_

I mean… my girl did these things to me that drove me nuts… she was a fucking minx! _Still the possibility…_

_Could it be?_

My eyes snapped open to search for Bella's brown ones only to find them closed.

"Um… love, are you awake?" I asked her softly, not really sincere in keeping my voice low.

She hummed in question and opened her sleepy eyes.

"Can I ask you a question? But please don't take it the wrong way?" I asked her cautiously making her eyes widen a bit in alert.

"Um… if you don't mind me asking? Since we are… you know… opening up to each other and all… um… it's just a thought that came to me after the recent revelation… I mean… since JC is um… your brother and not your son? Um… have you been uh… _with_ a guy before?" I stammered trying not to sound like it was a big deal.

She smirked at me, "I told you before that I only had relationship with JC's father…" her smart ass reply was.

"Yes, but since that was impossible… were you actually in relationship with any other guy?" I asked her with an edge to my voice.

"Well, I told you that I was with James before I came here." She answered sweetly and I knew right away that my minx was doing that on purpose.

I gathered whatever left from my strength and flipped us over, so I was on top of her trapping her under me. My mouth was merely a couple of inches away from hers, "I won't ask the question… yet you need to say the answer… I don't care what the answer is. I just _need to know_" I said quietly brushing my lips against hers.

I felt her shudder below me and her breath hitch. I skimmed her eyes, cheeks and jaw with butterfly kisses making sure to give her lobe a lick; that's when I heard her mutter something breathlessly.

"What was that, love?" I asked her softly brushing my lips with hers again.

"No… I've _never_ been with a man before…" she said shyly.

Fuck!

I locked eyes with her for a whole minute before she spoke worriedly, "Edward, you said it doesn't matter… I didn't know that… mmmm!" I cut her off with my lips pressing against hers like my life depended on it.

For the life of me, I really didn't care, but that fact that my Bella hasn't been touched by any man before, lit a fire in me that I thought would consume me where I laid.

"I thought that you didn't care…" she quipped breathlessly when I broke our kiss to breathe.

"It doesn't. But, damn it to hell if that didn't just set my body on fire…" I couldn't help but voice my thoughts.

I kissed her on the lips one last time before I rested my forehead against hers, "Mine… my own… my precious Bella…" I spoke softly till the peaceful moment was interrupted by the giggling Bella.

"Okay, Gollum. I've been awake the whole night worried sick about you and taking care of my baby… so if you don't mind, Mr. Cullen, I need my 'beauty' sleep." She quipped and I couldn't help but chuckle at her reference to The Lord of the Rings.

"Sure, love. Come here…" I pulled her again to my side and let her place her head on my shoulder.

"Edward…" she said softly.

"Hmm…?" I hummed in question, looking questioningly at her.

"Please… keep my secret safe… I know that it's given that you'd do… but please be extra careful. Too many people already know and I don't want it to slip to the ears of 'unwanted people'… I don't want to have to fight for my brother…" she murmured softly.

"You'll never have to, love. No one is taking JC from your arms." I said determinedly.

"But how can you know? I'm still under 18 and if Social Services found out…" she trailed off not wanting to complete that sentence.

She's right. She was under 18 and if Social Services knew of her keeping her baby brother, they won't be happy about it. Not to mention that they can take JC from her.

She was under 18…

She was under…

Fuck!

I bolted right up in bed almost knocking her off if.

I know what to do.

I know how to keep JC safe in her arms… in _our_ arms.

This is how I'll make it up to her; this will be my apology.

My face broke into the goofiest grin there is and I looked at her bewildered expression.

"What is it? Are you feeling okay? Do you want me to get your dad before they leave to the airport?" she asked me worriedly.

"I know how to keep JC safe with us." I said softly the grin still in place.

Her eyes widened and I saw her blink a few times, "Uh… how?" she asked me with a reluctant enthusiasm.

"I am 18." I said simply as if that simple fact holds the answer to the universe's existence.

She looked at me like she doubted my sanity; or wondered if I had hit my head too hard when I fell.

My smile widened.

"Love, you don't have to wait till you're 18 to make sure that you won't lose him. I can make sure of this right away." I confirmed again.

God! This was so simple.

The confused look on her face was even more pronounced now.

_This is how I'll repay every wrong I have done to you, Love…_

"How can you be so sure of that?" she asked me reluctantly.

"'Cause, love. No, one can take _my_ son away from me." I confirmed seeing the realisation dawn on her face.

"You mean…?" she asked, but I interrupted her to confirm her suspension.

"I, Edward Cullen, will adopt JC. And no one will ever be able to take my son away from us." I said triumphantly.

**End Chapter Fifteen**

**AN: I know it's a mean cliffy… but it's not a bad one… all it did was shock the living hell out of me lol the rollercoaster of emotions in this chapter had left me breathless… but seriously have you even begin to imagin all the things that was revealed in this chapter… who would have thought that it would be Alice who would tell Edward in the end ;) more surprises will be coming your way babies *evil grin* R&R, please, Love you all, my lovelies.**


	19. Chapter 16

**Summary**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, espclly, with the green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessive-ward. Razzle Dazzle Nominee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though… and I don't own Pride and Prejudice. Damn!

**AN: to all of you my amazing readers… one sweet with some lemony goodness… in addition to my all-too-known surprises.**

**I want to say that YDKA, has over 150,000 hits! That last chapter received also… around 250 reviews! Thank you! You all have given me the biggest of smiles with your amazing reviews!**

**Time for your shout outs my lovelies :) I name…**

babylopez2008, barbiedoll123, RoseArcadia, acw1, seraphslastkiss, xfarahx, Merina Green, emma217, andreabl2, foxjessica70, Just Jazz, Epatz, xAkashaLunax, Soccer11, Cydryna Marie, EmraePenne, Okkervil, 2von, soccershadow3, .Housex-, Giaah, pattsylove, Ana Masen Cullen Br, Breath-of-twilight, yankeerose, dementedevilpixie, jktwi, NATwilight, AmberSunshyne, Bella Quinn, a lil ray of sunshine, iamenvy, Kimmie38, SuperSayjinPanny, madehoney, Kefe, twisagafan, Kellan-should-rule-the-world, amgrant3, tahliaa., augustine4, aerobee82, kdc2239, mveroherr, b4d3l2c1, bluiqt, Vanquish13, April, TwilightVicki, EdwardsBrunette2, iloverobpattinson, trustme83, Charmie77, nermalasu, BellaCullenPR, Marie-Cullen-pr, bridenbrigray, alwayswatchingtv, CJ1325, Chellie09, 731, TexasTwilight77, ZiggaZigAhh, ForbiddenTwilighter, Litany Gone, Cullen-Girl-98, jacmom, FrenzzyforEdward, pippyXYZ, Ashiana, Lee723, Emmii, Danie-SweeterThanSour, charly825, Jewels64, Suzy Q Something, Feenrai, sassylilthang, luv4edwardcullen, BronzeHairedMystery, emroseliz, princessnerra, cb, lalibare, Chrisstars1, edaddict3254, Lomi111, freakilylikeher, mommytwilight, Butterfly832013, Jen2112, Always loving Twilight, Kerry Hale, KRYork, Janiceelynn, Stangchica2003, JW11, SweetHart2BME, 71star, may-bell-rose, Sammyluvr83, 3RPattz.x, faerie kitten, XTopazXeyedXVampireX, Jazz2305, flyrbrd, lisa430, Hope4more, tbonemom0512, , JasmineMarie84, Electrixx, SharkGurl, Lillie Cullen, littlewing1975, amwine, ash902, thatgirljen, nayomelynn, Mrs Muze, luv4jake, Aggie94, Drama4Twilight, hershey123, Treya, tickledpinkstamper, .19, Opie13, lgmrkm, the chick runs with vampires, ilovedonuts, twiSister, (a reviewer from LJ), technically a lie, dazzled eyes22, Emx, MzCoqueta, Jaspers-new wife, kuntrygal, Twilightie and ashleywyma

**You are all AMAZING! With your continuous support this story has become what it is now :) I really hope that I haven't missed any of your names ;)**

**Special shout out** to my awesome friend **Breath-of-twilight (Kelli)** who did me 2 favours… first she actually put the biggest of smiles on my face with her latest chapter of her story **Desolation** (which I beta) please check it out… and the second thing… she beta'd this chapter for me, correcting my errors and being just her awesome self… thank you, bb :)

To the Lovely **Lillie Cullen** for her continuous support, thank you :) please, check out her original story **"Man Hunt"** details are on her profile… it's awesome and it's something that you wouldn't want to miss reading ;)

**Warning! This chapter has inappropriate language and small lemon, so consider this a fair warning.**

**And now without further ado, here it is…**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Sixteen**

"_I, Edward Cullen, will adopt JC. And no one will ever be able to take my son away from us." I said triumphantly._

I felt so elated.

Ecstasy overwhelmed its way to my heart. It was like fanfares were playing and fireworks were being shot while I presented the solutions to all that's wrong with this world.

I looked at Bella and as if on cue all the music in my head turned into a jumble of out-of-tune noises before it stopped.

The lights and fireworks suddenly disappeared leaving me with total darkness.

_Except_…

That stupid night-cricket buzzing in my head!

She was looking at me like I was her long-gone love who has just been released from an _asylum_.

I frowned.

What? She didn't like the idea?!

"What?" I asked her in confusion.

She shook her head slowly with sadness in her eyes.

"You didn't like it?!" I asked her incredulously.

She kept shaking her head at me; causing anger to seep into my head.

_What the fuck doesn't she like about this! It's brilliant!_

"Well, why the fuck not?! I mean, it's the best solution anyone has ever come up with! And we can do it right away. You don't have to worry about anyone taking him from you anymore…" I stopped my word-vomit when she placed her palm on my forehead.

_What the…_

She removed her palm and mumbled softly, "Maybe it's too much pain killers…" still looking at me with worried and sad eyes.

My eyes widened when I realised what she was thinking.

"I'm not _stoned_. I'm not _sick_. And you better believe that I meant every _word_." I said purposefully.

"Oh, thank God. I thought that you have lost your fucking mind for a second there…" she quipped.

"Bella…" I warned.

"Don't 'Bella' me! Are you crazy, Edward! This can't happen. I mean, even if we research it and it is manageable… I can't let you do that. Think of what your family would think! You're still in high school, for heaven's sake! And we aren't even married!" she snapped at me.

_Well, Duh!_

"Well, I know we aren't married… _yet!_ But that's the whole point! You are under 18 and that's why we can't get married! But I, on the other hand, am 18 and can proceed with the adoption." I retorted back at her.

Her eyes went wide and her mouth hung open.

"Do you think that I haven't thought of that? I mean this whole ordeal is because you're under 18! Otherwise, I'd have proposed and then we'd elope to Vegas and that'd be it…" I quipped in a light tone trying to break the tension.

And I have succeeded.

A small smile, that she'd tried to hide, crept slowly to her face.

I smirked back at her making her straighten up and try to look serious.

"You're assuming too much, _Penny-Head…_" she said with way too much seriousness to be believed.

_Oh, yeah?_

"Really? What did I assume?" I played along; asking her in a genuine interest.

"First…" she raised one finger in my face, as if counting.

"You _assumed_… that JC's adoption will go well with no complications... I mean, even if I gave you the money for it… don't you think that there would be paper work to worry about?"

I opened my mouth to answer her but she swiftly placed her palm on my mouth.

"I haven't finished yet…" she snapped.

Mutely; I nodded for her to continue.

"Second, you're _assuming…_ that I and the family will be okay with this… Edward, even though you have honourable intentions; you need to think about the responsibility that this will put on your shoulders. This is a dead-serious matter! And not to be taken lightly…" she continued with worried tone.

_Who the fuck says I'm not taking this seriously!_

I think she knew that this last statement really angered me. I narrowed my eyes at her and my nostrils flared. I saw her squirm a little but she kept her, now, loose palm on my mouth.

"Third and final thing… you are _assuming_ that I _want_ to marry you… aren't you a bit… no, not a bit… _way _too _young_ to be thinking of such a big topic?! Can you imagine the look on your mom's face if you told her that you want to get married! You should be thinking of what you want to study at the university… or what university are you going to… or what your grades are gonna be like…" she trailed off when she saw the warning look I gave her while still holding her palm to my mouth.

I sat there motionless waiting for her to remove her palm, which she did _hesitantly_ might I add.

A humourless chuckle left my mouth. My gaze was casted downwards following her descending hand. I remained silent for a few more seconds making her squirm more.

"Are you about done?" I asked her with a blazing glare.

"Uh… umm…" she looked anywhere and everywhere but at my eyes.

"Look at me while I'm talking to you." I snapped at her making her jump and gasp in surprise.

I locked gaze with her, "I said… are you about done?" I asked her again firmly.

She blushed and nodded softly.

"Good. Now, I'll speak and you make sure to _hear_ me well… you will _not_ interrupt me." I spoke with finality.

"First… I need you to know that I'm _not assuming _anything. The adoption _will_ go through without any problems, a friend of my fathers is an excellent lawyer; and he can manage about anything we need from him. I can retain him for this one and we'll get the papers he needs to do the job.

"Second, why shouldn't you or my family be okay with this? I mean, I know that you _are_ okay with this…" I gave her a warning look when she attempted to say something.

"As for my family… as long as my grades are not suffering and I start a good job, I don't see them having any problems with it. I'll ask dad if he can squeeze me at the hospital, which will earn me some points with him… But we're not announcing this thing right away… not right now anyway… so, for them it's gonna be the same. What I'm trying to do here… is create a safety net _in case_ someone starts asking stupid questions. JC needs to be safe with us.

"Third and most importantly… you _are _going to marry me. I see no reasons why we should postpone it. I love you and you love me; there are no doubts or questions there." I smirked when she blushed under my blazing gaze.

"Maybe I'm young, but mom and dad got married when they were our age and look at them. I know for sure that they won't be the ones against this. Actually, for them, dad especially, this will be my redemption for what I have done during the last year or so…" I told her with my smirk still in place.

"As for taking care of _my_ family… as I said before, I'll be working with dad at the hospital, this will give me a chance to start saving for our life together. I _can_ and _will_ take care of _our_ family. If you succeeded in taking care of your so- I mean _brother_ and your dad and managed to keep a clean house… it's gonna be easier on both of us… we can help each other out. I'll start working and we can move into our own apartment next year when we start university," I finished.

She looked at me expectantly as if waiting for me to allow her to speak, "Oh, I'm done if you want to say something. And by the way, we need to work on our applications together… or better… leave them to me. You just send them my way and I'll fill them in for the both of us; and I'll let you know if I need anything from you." I said quickly not wanting her to interrupt me.

She looked at me for a few seconds and heaved a long sigh, "Why are you so stubborn?" she asked me while touching my injured face with her finger tips.

"I'm not stubborn, love… you're just trying to put up obstacles that don't exist in the first place." I answered her truthfully, leaning into her touch.

"I'm not putting any obstacles in our way, Edward. They are already there. Life isn't this easy. And I don't want to betray the trust that your parents have put in us. I just don't want to complicate things. Your suggestion will do that. It might alert people to JC's already messed up situation and I'm not sure if it's worth the risk…" she said with a sad smile.

"I know that you have JC's best interest at heart, but I really don't know… I'm afraid that…" she stuttered with tears filling her eyes.

_Shit!_

I didn't want that to happen.

I wrapped her in my arms and held her close to me. I waited for a few seconds before I spoke again, "Love, everything will be fine. I promise you…" I vowed.

"But how can you promise me something that's not in your control?" she sniffled and tilted her head backwards to look at me.

I looked at her not blinking, "I promise to do everything I can to give you everything you want…" I promised again with a small smile as I combed my fingers through her hair.

She smiled softly and sniffled a bit before she buried her face in my chest again.

"So, I guess we're engaged now…" I quipped trying to lighten the mood.

I heard her groan and it made me chuckle, "Aren't you going to give your _fiancé_ a kiss?" I pouted my lips and batted my eyelashes at her.

She swatted me on my good arm and mumbled something like, "Damn rusty Penny-head…"

I chuckled again earning myself anther slap on the arm.

"Okay, enough manslaughter for today. Let's get some rest and we'll think more about these things later…" I said tiredly.

Bella got the message and readjusted the pillows behind us. I held her close to me while _my fiancée_ rested her head on my chest.

_Fuck, my ass is so whipped._

I kissed her on the crown of her head and she returned it by placing a soft kiss on my chest, "Night, love…" I mumbled, my fuzzy mind already giving in to a much needed sleep.

********************

After what felt like a mere few minutes later, my oaf of a brother woke me up in his own subtle way, "Eddie-Weddie… fuckin' wake up already!" Emmett bellowed in a sing-a-song tone from somewhere beside me.

I grimaced and opened my eyes slowly. I heard a couple of people shushing Emmett and then I heard what sounded like a slap. Sure enough, one second later, "Owwww… Rosie, that hurt!" Emmett whined to his girlfriend.

"He's tired and injured, you big oaf! He needs 'quietness'…" Rose hissed at him.

"Thanks, Rose. I owe you one…" I mumbled quietly trying to focus my eyes on the figures around me.

"No problem," She answered quietly.

I squinted my eyes trying to focus on the people around me and noticed that Bella wasn't beside me or among them, "Where's Bella?" I asked in a gruff voice rubbing my face with my good hand and sitting up in my bed.

_Fuckin', where is my fiancé?_

"She's on her way up. She fed JC and put him to sleep. She's been in the kitchen for a couple of hours making you something to eat; figured you'd be hungry…" Jasper answered with a smirk.

_Of course, she would. She's my fuck-awesome fiancée._

As if on cue, my stomach growled loudly earning a few snickers and chuckles from the people around me, "Hey! I haven't eaten in almost 24 hours! So, shut your yaps!" I snapped at them.

"Cool it down, Ghandi… you'll get your food soon enough. We just needed to see how you're doing..." James jested; earning an elbow-nudge from Vicky.

I glared at him, "I'm doing fine, thank you." I muttered gritting my teeth.

"Why is Bella cooking? Where is my mom?" I asked in confusion. Mom rarely allowed anyone to use her kitchen when she's around.

"Wow, you were really out of it, weren't you?" Jasper mused quietly.

"Mom and dad took a flight early this morning. They had some family business to take care of or something…" Alice answered quietly leaning her back against Jasper's chest.

"What family business?" I asked shifting my eyes between Emmett who shrugged and Alice who was shaking her head.

"What? No one knows why they went away?" I asked them incredulously, "God! You're both such doorknobs! Maybe it was something serious?!" I continued just as the door opened revealing Bella with a big tray of what smelled like different assortments of mouth-watering food.

I hummed in contentment as she placed the tray on the bedside table. Of course, Emmett couldn't help but whine like a baby, "Why does he only get the yummy food?"

"Em, the food is downstairs! Did you really expect me to cook for your brother only! It's dinner time anyway… so you'll find dinner _and_ dessert." Bella chastised him like child.

"YEAH!" Emmett bellowed and cleared the room within seconds along with the others, shaking their heads, in toe.

"Why do I feel like Em's brain is stuck at age 5?" Bella asked me still shaking her head and handing me the tray.

I took the tray and placed it gently on my lap; not wanting to spill any of its contents, "That's because he is, love." I chuckled.

I looked at her for a moment, "Well, helloooo, _fiancée…"_ I greeted her like the fucking five year old we were just laughing about.

"Well, hello right back at ya, baby…" she answered with a blush.

I thought I'd give her a break, so I diverted the conversation, "You didn't have to bring me a tray of food, you know? We could've eaten with the others…" I started eating right away, not even bothering myself with placing a napkin on my lap or anything.

"Yeah, right…" she rolled her eyes at me.

"Well, I thought you'd do good to stay in bed for the day. Dr. Cullen told me it's better this way for you to recover quicker…" she spoke quietly placing the napkin at the collar of my shirt like one would a baby.

"You… don' 'ave to do 'at… I won' make a mess!" I chastised; spilling half of my mouth's contents on the napkin.

"You're _sure_ you won't make a mess?" she joked and wiped at my mouth.

I glared at her and stopped eating, "Why aren't you eating? And stop acting like you're feeding a baby! I can take care of myself. I'm not JC!" I took the other plate of mouth-watering Lasagne and placed it on her lap.

"Now, eat. You still look tired…" I waited till she started eating to continue my devouring of this delicious meal.

The tray had plates of green salad topped with my favourite dressing. A rather big plate of Lasagne and mashed potatoes. Garlic bread topped with Mozzarella Cheese and for desert she made Pudding… _yummy_!

And with all that she brought 2 glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice with 2 Tylenols.

I noticed that she was playing with her food while watching me eat. I was done with my salad and hot plate moaning and humming the whole time I was stuffing my face with food; and she wasn't half done with her portion. She looked rather contemplating on whether she should finish it.

I wondered whether there was more food left downstairs. Then again, one word made me wipe all hope of finding any scrap of food remaining… _Emmett._

Hmmm… maybe I can _help_ her with her predicament.

"Are you going to finish this?" I asked her with a sheepish smile.

_Come on… she looked full… I mean I'm still healing from my wounds… and I'm growing up…_

_Oh, fuck it! I want that plate!_

She smiled sweetly at me and placed her _almost_ full plate on my empty one, "So, I guess you liked your meal?" she quipped as she sat back and watched me place a big bite in my mouth.

"Ummm… Hmmm… yeah…" I hummed and barely answered her, concentrating on 'trying to chew' before gulping all of the food down my throat.

"That's good… because that's the last of it… I'm sure Emmett won't leave a scrap of food downstairs…" she gave me a knowing smile and a wink.

I smiled sheepishly at her and gulped loudly.

_Shit! I thought I was supposed to be the mind reader here… or at least I used to be…_

I finished her plate and took the two pills, downing them with the juice.

"Hmmm… well, actually… that's exactly just what I was just thinking… let's try this delicious heaven you call pudding…" I said and moaned as I tasted the first mouthful of pudding.

"I guess that 'mmm' is a good thing?" she asked me with a chuckle.

"Mmmmmmm" I nodded dragging the moan a bit.

I finished my pudding and _her_ pudding, of course; and leaned back.

"Hmmm… I don't think I can breathe!" I quipped patting my now full stomach.

"Well… you ate the portions of two _grown up_ people! What do you expect?" she laughed taking the tray off my lap.

She was fucking laughing at me!

_Oh, yeah? We'll see who's laughing now, love…_

"Ahhh! AW! That fucking hurts…" I faked a grimace as I pretended to double over in pain all the while clutching my stomach.

"What?! What's the matter? What hurts?" she all but dropped the tray on the side table and came to sit beside me on the bed to see what was the matter with me.

"Edward, please what's hurting? Is it your stomach? I knew I shouldn't have made you eat all that…" she pulled me to her body, making me rest my head on her chest as she rubbed my stomach.

I kept my eyes closed, still moaning and pretending that my stomach hurt.

Oh yes, this was one of my favourite positions. I continued with my low moaning and nuzzled my face into one swell of her breasts; inching my face into her shirt from between the opened buttons and reaching the lace of her bra.

_Fuck! How can she smell so amazing without even trying!_

She was so soft and smelled like strawberries and pudding… _yum!_

_I guess I still have some enough space for one more bite._

I felt a stir in my pants at that thought and noticed that I was getting hard.

Suddenly, the devil in me gave me a slow deliberate smile and I knew exactly what he was thinking…

_After all, he's my pupil…_

So, I nuzzled her swell a little more sniffing. Then I opened my mouth and bit down… _hard._

She yelped and jumped in surprise. I quickly wrapped an arm around her form holding her to me while licking where I had bitten; she moaned as she clutched my hair tightly holding me to her chest.

My shaft twitched at the sound; getting harder by the second.

"What the fuck, Edward?" she snapped at me once, I guess, the sting of the bite dulled.

"What?" I asked her innocently as I tried to pull her to me when I noticed that she was trying to squirm out of my grasp.

She went to my dresser to inspect the bite and I hid the evil smile that was about to break onto my lips.

"What the fuck do you mean by 'What'?! Why did you bite me? See, now it's gonna leave a mark!" she snapped checking the bite mark and narrowing her eyes at me when our eyes met in the mirror.

_What if I wanted to leave a mark… she was mine to mark and it's not like anyone but me can see it._

"Well… you started it! You laughed at me!" I mock-snapped at her. I mean, I knew I didn't care… but just getting a rise from her gave me a 'rise' of my own and I couldn't resist it. _Especially now with our new status…_

She spun around to give me an incredulous look, "I was just joking! You'd think for someone who's supposed to act like a grown up, he'd act his age. God, I didn't know I had a baby for a fiancé!" she smirked and crossed her arms making her cleavage look more pronounced; and her breasts about to pop out of her shirt. Especially since she hasn't closed all of her buttons.

_The word Fiancé echoed in my mind and left me tingling… hmm… that entails a lot…_

She looked like a fucking model striking a pose just for me. Her attire was simple… dark skinny jeans and that perfect dark blue plaid 'shirt with issues'… and I say _with issues_… 'cause it always seemed that the buttons had issues with their holes. Her bra-lace, which was dark blue too, peaked at me; taunting me.

_Let's see how she would act with her 'baby' of a fiancé… shall we?_

I locked eyes with her and started getting out of bed slowly stalking towards her like a predator stalking its prey. My slow smile started to come to life as I noticed her smirk vanish and saw that she was backing away from me.

She kept her slow retreat till her back hit the wall behind her. She gasped once she realized that she was trapped.

I reached her pressing my aching body to hers and lowered my mouth to her ear, "Gotcha…" I whispered making her tremble.

Since one of my hands was wrapped… I knew I couldn't do much… but hell if I was leaving this opportunity untouched.

I gripped her hip in my good hand and squeezed, "Did you just call your _fiancé _a baby, love?" I asked her huskily as I ground my stiff member into her stomach.

She whimpered, her form shivering, "I… didn't… um… that's not… uh… please…" she moaned as she braced herself by grasping my shoulders tightly.

Shit! She had no idea what that word, coming from her like that, did to me.

I knew the devil in me was luring me into all kinds of scenarios… Chief of Misery is out of town… mom and dad as well…

"Please _what_, love?" I asked her still grounding myself into her.

She moaned softly as I kissed her pulse point just below her ear and trailed kisses up her jaw reaching her mouth. I kissed her softly at first, nibbling on her bottom lip. She opened her mouth and I took the chance right away; plunging my tongue into her mouth; tasting her.

She still tasted of Orange juice…_mmm…_

My hand traced her waist and reached her breasts. I cupped one and squeezed slowly but firmly, making her moan loudly.

I knew we couldn't go too far right now… with JC in the other room and everyone else downstairs. So, I had to improvise.

I ground myself to her like there was no tomorrow, seeking friction and release. But I didn't want to enjoy this alone… I mean she has given me release twice already and I haven't treated her to any. _Yet_.

_Hmmm… well, maybe this could be for the both of us._

I trailed kisses down her neck and reaching her breasts… I reached my hand and lowered one cup; baring her for the first time for me to see. I was mesmerized…

I lowered my mouth and latched onto her hard nipple suckling like a hungry baby being fed for the first time. She whimpered and buried her hands in my hair holding me in place, "Shit! Uh… that's mmm… uh…" she moaned incoherently.

I moved to her other one and got it out to nibble, bite and suckle on it like I did to its twin.

"Edward… uh… I don't think we can… uh…" she mumbled but not even trying to push me away.

"Don't worry, love. We are not doing anything now… just enjoy…" I mumbled between nibbles and licks.

I moved my hand to her jeans wanting to give her friction. I wondered how I was going to do this with just one hand. I also didn't know how she was going to take this since she was a virgin…

I felt her stiffen when I reached the button and zipper of her jeans, "Shhhh… love, it's okay… I just wanna make you feel good" I decided to just play it safe and rub her through her jeans, to make sure she wasn't uncomfortable, "We don't have to do anything if you don't want to…" I looked at her in question and she nodded biting her lip.

I know this could be awkward since… but I _am_ her _fiancé._

_And damn it if I'm not getting harder each time I thought of that word._

I started rubbing her forcefully, concentrating on the area where her bundle of nerves was. She was getting close quickly; and I knew she would have her release any second. I looked up, locking eyes with hers.

I knew exactly what to do. I pinched her through the jeans and bit her other breast hard coaxing her release. It was so intense. Her mouth formed the shape of an 'O' as I felt her tremble, almost falling if I hadn't held her in place. I kissed and nibbled on her throat and collarbone till she rode out her high.

Her eyes were closed as she panted.

I was so hard right now I felt like I might explode just from the look of ecstasy on her face, "How was that, love?" I felt her shiver when I whispered in her ear, "Let's just say this is a warm up from the 'baby' of a _fiancé_ you have… see what your 'baby' can do to you, love?" I quipped as I nibbled on her earlobe.

Her breath hitched and I felt her push me back then spin around to push my back into the wall. She looked down at herself to see that her breasts were still peaking out of her shirt. She rearranged herself, much to my chagrin and smiled devilishly at me.

_Shit! She was up to something…_

She reached my ear and whispered, "Well, let's see how much stamina my 'baby' of a _fiancé_ has?" she quipped softly as she started trailing kisses down my body.

Fuck! I was so fucking hard and about to shoot my load any moment now.

She went down to her knees and the sight of her like that made me tremble in anticipation and excitement; "Love, you don't have to do this…" I breathed trying for the last time to be a gentleman before all coherent thoughts left me. I didn't want her to feel like she was obliged to do anything in return.

She tugged at my pants as she hummed in responses, locking our gazes together. My breath left my body when she pulled down my pants and boxers freeing me for the first time for her to see, "Relax, I just want to make my _fiancé _feel good…" she said softly using my words.

"Hmmm… hey there… it's good to meet you at last…" she cooed at my member which twitched in its own rendition of a salute.

She reached her soft small hand and held me from the base before she reached her tongue to lick the pre-cum that formed at the tip.

"Fuck… shit… hot…" I cursed as I reached my hand to pull at my hair.

She tentatively took the head in her mouth and sucked lightly, moaning at the taste of me, "Fuck! Too close… fucking…" I cursed in a whisper.

Then she did something that almost made my heart stop. She pushed me far into her mouth, sucking vigorously. I felt the head of my dick hit the back of her throat, "Fuck!" I grabbed the back of her head with my hand as she bobbed her head a few times, letting me hit the back of her throat each time, without gagging may I say… it was surprising since I was… rather _large_.

I moaned loudly, when she hummed around me. "Fuck! Bella… I'm about to…" I tried to back off but she groaned around me and sucked me to the back of her mouth… all those sensations did nothing to keep me from falling off the cliff of ecstasy.

My hot liquid shot down her throat and she swallowed me greedily. I was trembling when I felt her release me from her mouth to give my softening member's head a kiss; which twitched in thanks. She tucked me back into my pants and stood in front of me, standing on the tip of her toes to reach my ear, "Hmmm… thanks for the _candy_, baby…" she whispered and kissed my pulse point.

"Fuck!" I cursed and wrapped my arms around her, crashing her to me. I devoured her lips with mine, tasting myself in her mouth.

I stopped when the need for air became unbearable. I rested my forehead against hers still gasping for breath.

"You didn't have to do that, you know? I just wanted to make you feel good…" I said softly as I peppered kisses all over her face.

"Well…" she began to say and I looked at her to see her smile… "You owed me 'Candy' and I always get what's mine…" she smiled seductively.

I growled, "You keep talking like this and nothing will be able to stop me from taking you right now!"

She gasped and her eyes glazed over. I knew what she was thinking because I was thinking the same thing!

"Fuck, Bella! I don't want your first time to happen because I lost control! I want it to be special!" I chastised half-heartedly. I really wouldn't be able to resist her if she kept this shit up.

"We shouldn't have done this… it was too soon…" I said regrettably.

Her face dropped, "You… umm… didn't like what I did… I know it's my first time, but…" I cut off her shaky stammering by placing my finger on her mouth.

"I didn't mean it like that. I meant, I didn't want our intimate moments to start like sex-crazed teenagers…" I said sadly.

I know how people look at teenagers and the thought of people thinking of Bella that way made my stomach drop. I was regretting what we did just now already. We shouldn't have done this now… I feel like I have tainted her 'not so innocent' innocence…

I mean, I wanted her first time of 'anything intimate' to be special… not just a boyfriend having a good time with his girlfriend… even if we are engaged right now… it didn't mean that other people knew of our status.

I wanted us to enjoy it… even savour it, if you will. And not to be scared of having one of our friends suddenly walking in on us… or having the Chief or my parents look at us like we were horny teenagers going at it just because we have an itch… _even if we were…_

When we do this, she needs to know that I'm treating her like my _woman_… my _goddess_… _my wife…_

The last word echoed in my mind and it hit me… there is only one way that could happen…

"When is your 18th birthday coming?" I asked her suddenly.

"Um… Friday after next; September 13th, why?" she asked in confusion.

Hmmm… that's two weeks… _perfect_.

I smiled widely, "Maybe we don't need to wait… maybe we can show everyone that we are acting and thinking like adults… I'll ask the lawyer to work on a marriage license; everything will be ready on your birthday and we can get married then…" I squeezed her more to me as she cut me off with her gasp.

"Edward! Come on! Think about it… we are both young… you are still young… I don't think…" she trailed off when she saw the warning look I gave her, "I thought we were done with this conversation? I thought we _agreed_ that this is not an issue anymore and that you won't be opposing to this since we have each other…" I warned her.

"Come on, Edward. I know we agreed to that; and no I haven't chanced my mind… but still…we _are_ way too young! It will be _really_ weird. It's too soon. I mean, can you imagine me going to our school with a ring on my finger? Or walking around University halls with a swollen belly…" she trailed off when she saw my big blinding smile.

My active imagination did just what she had said.

Images of Bella wearing _my_ ring walking through the halls of schools filled my mind... Bella's pregnant form wrapped in one of my arms as I lead her to one of our lectures...

_Yep… that's exactly what I want, love._

"Shit! No, Edward… what ever you're thinking, you need to stop it… no… I know that smile… shit! No! Edward, what are you doing?" she asked me frantically when she saw me lowering myself to the ground.

"You know what… I think you were right to over-think this since I haven't asked you properly…" I said in my most serious tone with my blinding smile still in place.

"Damn it, Edward. Stand up…" she tried to pull me up but I wouldn't move.

"Love, let me speak please." I asked her and pleaded with her with my eyes.

Her lips quivered a bit and her hands were shaking in mine, but still I couldn't stop myself.

"Love, I know for certain that I didn't want this to happen like this… I wanted to do this in the most perfect way, 'cause you deserve the best. But I didn't want to leave this room, or this moment even, without making sure that this is set right… so, please bear with me… I want you to imagine that this room is in its best shape… the bed cover is sprayed with rose petals and candles are lit everywhere… I'm wearing a tux and you are… just the queen you are now… my face is not fucked up like this… _both_ my hands are holding yours. I owe you so much, love; and for that I will speak of words that I know that will only matter to you …" I stopped to take a much-needed breath.

I saw that her eyes were brimming with tears and a small smile was gracing her lips.

_Here goes nothing…_

"_I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in principle. As a child I was taught what was right, but I was not taught to correct my temper. I was given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit_…" I stopped when I heard her gasp and cover her mouth with her trembling hand.

I knew right away that she recognized that I was quoting Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy, _verbatim._ I smiled and continued,

"_Unfortunately, I was spoilt by my parents, who, though good themselves (my father, particularly, all that was benevolent and amiable), allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing; to think meanly of all the rest of the world; to wish at least to think meanly of their sense and worth compared with my own. Such I was; and such I might still have been but for you, dearest, loveliest 'Isabella'_!" I stopped as a sob left her quivering form.

I couldn't help the single tear that slipped down my face at the sight of her happiness; which I recognized even with the sobbing. I smiled and voiced my last of the quotation.

"Isabella_, what do I not owe you?! You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous. By you, I was properly humbled. I came to you without a doubt of my reception. You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased…_

"Isabella_, I cannot fix on the hour, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun…"_ at this my tears were streaming just like hers.

"_Neither duty, nor honour, nor gratitude... have any possible claim on me… _It is _you_ that has claimed my whole being…" I continued with my own words making her smile.

"Isabella Marie Swan…" I began and she gasped.

"Will you do me the honour of being my wife…?" I asked and held my breath for her answer.

**End Chapter Sixteen**

**AN: Please tell me that you liked it… I myself found myself crying after reading all these quotes… Austen is a genius… I have took all those quotes verbatim from the actual book from chapters 56, 58 and 60 and I even jumbled them and clipped some of their parts but haven't changed any of them :) and how was our lemony heaven lol I know I've left you without any and since things are gonna be a bit on the dangerous and quick side later on… I thought I'd give you a taste ;) please leave me some lovin'… your reviews sound better to me than quoting Jane Austen's Darcy ;) Luv ya babies :)**


	20. Chapter 17

**Summary**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, espclly, with the green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessive-ward. Razzle Dazzle Nominee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: I'm beyond sorry for this delay. I know it took me too long. But I hope that the extra long chapter will make up for this.. also the surprises in this chapter will be leaving you breathless… to all of you my amazing readers… Merry Xmas, this is dedicated to all of you…**

Kuntrygal, Twilightie, ashleywyma, Kerry Hale, Breath-of-twilight, RoseArcadia, Hope4more, hammondgirl, the pen fatelle, EdwardsCandyCane, babylopez2008, mamato, mommytwilight, beignet, TwilightVicki, juggalette220, augustine4, SharkGurl, Butterfly832013, acw1, Giaah, BellaCullenPR, EmraePenne, Emmii, twilight addit14, tcrew, FromOldtoNew, Litany Gone, ZiggaZigAhh, princessnerra, iamenvy, barbiedoll123, twiSister, emroseliz, juliaSwan, BronzeHairedMystery, TexasTwilight77, alwaystwilight95, KRYork, aerobee82, Sammyluvr83, Iceangel92003, gjmb2000, dementedevilpixie, mellicious secret, gossip-bangkok, xAkashaLunax, lalibare, pattsylove, Cydryna Marie, amwine, alwayswatchingtv, Vanquish13, iloverobpattinson, Bellalullabye09, snoopy1, Soccer11, pippyXYZ, luv4edwardcullen, tbonemom0512, flyrbrd, soccershadow3, April, b4d3l2c1, luv2readff, maggiejoma, midnite serenade, trustme83, 71star, luv4jake, seraphslastkiss, ilovedonuts, amgrant3, ErinCullen, alys09, MzCoqueta, angel-cordy, 2von, may-bell-rose, yankeerose, Treya, ForbiddenTwilighter, PLV, Ashiana, Aggie94, Nelum Camilla, In Awe Of Fire, Dreya Stars, nermalasu, AmberEyes01, Perf3ct, Epatz, Kefe, Homebody, ChulaB, madehoney, Bella Quinn, Charmie77, tahliaa, i love rob always, Neliz DB Love, culleneyes, Kimmie39, jktwi, MRSCULLENXXROBSESSEDXX, GracieLacey, 731, SweetHart2BME, MyaSarae, emma217, Mrs Muze, jacmom, .19, sessahhh, venichel sangalang, rpattz granny, leechlover1901, Danie-SweeterThanSour, EMMW77, xfarahx, Lillie Cullen, hershey123, ladysharkey1, reesessweetie, Mels78, ash902, mommyamybee, Madison Elliott, Drama4Twilight, show no mercy, Asia, JasmineMarie84, PiperCullen, Twilight Luverrrr, vpg26, addictedtoOTH, Ms Rebecca Cullen, .LovelyXLullaby., IMSandEAMforever, IDTwilight, Captured-Angel3, XxXxTeamEdwardXxXxDazzle, lovingit3, dizzykaz, lovingit3, l lynn, KrittleTwilighted, AmberrrJune, brittany86, TheSpoiltOne and Footroza, 2lilangels, childishjade, (anonymous), caseytabwizz, Suzy Q Something, caligyrl4cullen, AussiePiper1992, edwardcullenfanforlife, darcy13, Markiee, cb, fanficreader83, NATwilight, AngelsLuvMe, Summer Leah, RomperStomper, mmichelle97219, onesto pen, amo9511 and Wants-fang-for-herself

**You are all AMAZING! With your continuous support this story has become what it is now :) I really hope that I haven't missed any of your names ;)**

**Special shout out** to my awesome friend **Breath-of-twilight (Kelli)** check out her story **Distorted Reality**… it will give you an out of this world ride! Luv ya, baby.

Second, to my new friend, Bellalullabye09, her 2 stories are amazing and you really need to check them out, one is called **"Like a Moth to A Flame"** if you like some Mobward and the other is **"Lullaby and Goodnight: The Sleep Stalker"** all about FBIward.

Third**, **I'm betaing a couple of new awesome stories… **"Freeze Frames" **by **Jewels64** checkout her nerdward and **"Shattered" **by **xtaintedsongx** her darkward is hot! Actually both are awesome, please check them out!

**Finally, **to my AWESOME sister **xfarahx** who helped me through this chapter and pointed out all my mistakes even in the AN :) Luv ya, Fa7Tiki

**Warning! This chapter has inappropriate language, so consider this a fair warning.**

**And now without further ado, here it is…**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Seventeen**

I kneeled there watching the girl that lately hung in every dream of mine, smiling at me with tears streaming down her face.

Smiling must be a good sign, right?

_Yeah, you know… because you just loved her smile when she did that stunt of rubbing you under the dinner table! TWICE!_

_Fuck!_

I was getting more nervous by the second. She still hasn't said anything.

I mean I know that we are all still too young to be thinking of those things right now, but damn! I really need to get the thought of losing her out of my mind in order for me to focus on anything else.

I think the sense of dread, that I have been feeling lately, was giving me this uneasy feeling that something was about to happen… the only thing that eased that thought or… _dread_… was knowing that she would be with me… she would be _Mine _to take care of; and to protect.

But she wasn't saying anything.

She was just staring at me with her hand placed over her heart; tears still streaming down her face.

_Shit!_

Was she having second… no… _third or fourth _thoughts?!

Just as I was about to ask her to say something, she wiped the tears with the back of her hand. Then, slowly, she knelt in front of me making us _almost_ eye-level, since I was taller than her.

My already erratically beating heart almost jumped out of my chest. _Was she?_

She leaned in closer and softly grazed her lips with mine, while cupping my face in her hands. It was gentle at first; but her scent and the feeling of her petit body close to me, made me want more from her.

I traced her lips with my tongue; asking for permission that she granted hastily. I smiled into the kiss as we explored each other's mouths.

Grudgingly, I pulled a bit away from her, locking gaze with her, "Is that a '_yes'_?" I asked her in a whisper.

A sob rocked her body as she nodded ferociously; "Yes! YES!" she whimpered bursting into some sort of a laugh mixed in with her sob.

The biggest smile appeared on my face as I circled her in my arms and stood up to spin her around making her squeal loudly.

_Euphoria_… I think that's the only word to describe how I was feeling. I didn't even apologize for the lack of a ring…

But then again… you can't do anything when you are _rudely_ interrupted.

I heard a ruckus outside my door and the door burst open; revealing the three remaining couples in the house, falling in a heap in my doorway.

I stopped spinning Bella and put her down. I kept a hold on her since I noticed her slight swaying, apparently dizzy from all the spinning.

"What the fuck is going on here?" I bellowed at the bickering crowd.

"I was just checking to see if you need anything…"

"I thought I heard JC crying…"

"I wanted to get the tray to finish washing the dishes…"

"Bella was up here forever…"

The guys went on and on with excuses; but I wasn't buying.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I roared at them, shutting them up right away.

Bella tensed in my arms and looked at me worriedly. I knew what she was worried about.

Those stupid fools not only ruined my happy moment but they got her scared too. I leaned in a bit to kiss the top of her head before tightening my hold on her.

"What the fuck were you doing outside _my_ door?" I fumed at them trying to keep my voice level.

They all started throwing stupid excuses not even bothering to make them believable.

"Shut it!" I seethed making them stop again.

I know where I can get my information without any distortion.

"You, all, just _shut_ it… Emmett, would you step closer, please…" I called to the five-year old that was my older brother.

"What?" Emmett huffed at me, taking a step closer to me.

I wanted him to answer, knowing that I could trick him into giving me true answers.

"What were you doing outside _my _door, Em?" I asked him quietly and glared at the rest behind him to keep their mouths shut.

"Well, nothing, man. Just wanted to check on you and Bella. I wanted to thank her for the amazing food. And umm… just wanted to make sure you were both fine…" he stammered trying to be cool and nonchalant.

"Why wouldn't we be fine?" I asked cautiously.

"Well… we heard some muffled moaning… so James and Jasper thought that Bella had hurt herself, 'cause she's usually clumsy…"

"Fuck…" Bella whispered beside me, burying her face in my chest. I could feel her cheeks flaming against my skin.

"Bella is fine… as you can see she's right here _unharmed…_" I answered casually earning a glare from James and Jasper.

"Well, that's true… but the thing is… we heard _you_ moaning… and we thought you both had gotten yourselves into your own version of apocalypse or some shit… so, we came here to check on both of you…" Emmett answered with a sly smile.

_Fuck! I thought we were quiet!_

"Really?" I asked him in surprise.

"Well, as you can see… we are _both_ fine… you can leave the room now." I waved them off ushering them all to the door.

"Not so fast, rusty-head!" James snapped at me and sauntered to stand in the middle in front of everyone.

_What the fuck!_

"What? Are we gonna pretend like we haven't heard him?" Jasmine glared at the rest of the guys. And they all looked at us expectantly. The girls were all smiling giddily in Bella's direction and Emmett and Jasper had equal smirks plastered on their faces.

"Heard what?" I asked cautiously, holding Bella more tightly, if that was even possible. I knew that she was scared of having anyone know about this.

_For now at least…_

"This is Bells we are talking about here, Jasper…" he continued giving Jasper a deliberate look.

"SHIT! No, guys, don't! He's hurt! Don't-" Bella started yelling frantically and I looked at her confused.

That is until I felt myself being jerked up on someone's shoulder; Jasper and James were both howling their war-cries as they took me to my bathroom.

"What the fuck?! Put me down, ASSHOLES! PUT ME DOWN!" I yelled with all the strength I could muster.

"GUYS! Put him down, NOW! Don't hurt him!" she snapped at them as she tried to pull on my shirt.

"Jazz! What're you doing!?" Alice squealed frantically at him.

"James! Put him down, NOW!" Vicky yelled at the top of her voice.

"Bells, this is for your own protection… we're just making sure that he doesn't ever hurt you… because with this warning… he'll know what to expect if he ever _thinks_ of hurting you. So, go to your room and relax…" Jasper said casually.

I was still fighting them both to put me down; they stopped by my toilet with my head hanging above the bowl almost touching its rim. I felt all the blood rush to my head and my breathing became frantic.

I closed my eyes and prepared myself for the 'great plunge'.

"Hey! If either of you do anything like that… I swear to God, I'll never talk to you again and you'll not be at my wedding or be my son's or daughter's godfathers!" Bella snapped at the both of them giving them a warning finger.

I looked up to see their reactions; they both had smug smiles on their faces, "What do you think, Jazz? Think he's worth it?" Jasmine mused pretending like I'm not there.

"Naaaaahhh… just put him down, we'll deal with him if something happens later on." Jazz answered nonchalantly.

Fuckers! They even dare to _hope_ that they would be my son's godfathers.

They slowly flipped me till I was standing, or more like swaying, on my feet and Bella rushed to my side to steady me all while glaring at the both of them.

"Think we didn't hear you proposing to her? Think we don't know she has accepted?" James glared at me.

I wanted to snap at him but he interrupted me once again, "I swear to God, Cullen. You screw this up and you'll be asking for my punches to dull the pain Jasper would be inflicting on you…" he threatened narrowing his eyes at me.

"Yeah… and that would be after I rip off all the parts I need to decorate my future office. Don't think that… just 'cause Bella doesn't have a brother to take care of her, that we wouldn't be watching you… " Jasper narrowed his eyes at me.

"Fuckin', Beevis and Butthead! I'm not going to ever _hurt_ her! I am going to _marry_ her!" I yelled at them when I had enough balance to steady myself and enough breath to talk.

"Oh, we know… that's just a warning though… in case you ever think of…" Jasper smirked and trailed off.

_What the fuck is this?! The Mafia?!_

I turned my eyes to my ass-of-a-brother, "You! You're supposed to be my brother! Why the fuck didn't you stop them?!" I snapped at him.

"Dude, we did the same thing to Jasper when he started dating Alice… so, I thought it was fair! So, let me just say this straight. You ever fuck up, man, brother or no brother, I'm gonna pummel you to the ground. Sorry, man. It's not personal, just _business…"_ he talked while checking his nails.

_Well, thank you, brother GRIM!_

"Well, it's nice to know how you all have faith in me…" I quipped feeling bitter and hurt.

"Oh, we trust you… it's the _devil_ inside you that we don't trust…" Jasper quipped using the famous quote from 'The Italian Job'.

Then he approached me keeping our eyes locked in a stare down contest, "Payback is a bitch, man…" he whispered.

I couldn't help but crack a smile and shake my head, "Touché…" I answered softly.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Bella asked worriedly.

I wrapped her in my arms and pressed her to my body, inhaling her scent, "I'm fine, love." I answered her softly and turned to glare at the guys, who were all cramped in my bathroom.

"Well?!" I snapped at them expectantly.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" They all bellowed and drowned Bella and I in a tight group hug.

"Man, I never thought you'd have it in you…" Emmett ruffled my hair and patted me on the back knocking the air out of my lungs.

"Congrats, man…" James said solemnly and extended his hand in a peaceful gesture.

I eyed him suspiciously, but nonetheless, I extended my hand to shake his, "Thanks…" I smiled wryly.

"Same goes with you, by the way…" I told him quickly.

He looked at me confused, so I elaborated.

"You hurt Victoria… and you'll have to answer to me." I told him matter-of-factly.

He smiled and nodded. I looked at Jasper who was looking at me, "I guess you've already been warned, haven't you?" I quipped.

He chuckled, "I guess… although, Alice wasn't here to stop you both from giving me the fucking bowl-makeover! Man, you're so lucky Bella was here to save your ass… or rather your head in this case…" He smirked.

Just then we heard JC's crying, no wonder all this riot woke him up.

I saw Bella bolt out of the bathroom and walk into her room. I followed her with the guys trailing behind. She held him in her arms and started cooing at him.

"Hey, honey. It's okay… you're okay… you hungry? I know you are…" she said softly and kissed him.

"I'm gonna make him a bottle. I'll be back in a bit…" she left the room with the girls following and giggling behind her.

"We'll be downstairs…" Jasper said and left with James; leaving me with Em alone.

He gave me a knowing smile, "So, I take it that all is fine with you and Bella… I mean for the JC situation…" he trailed off giving me a pointed look.

I eyed him cautiously, "Of course, man… JC is her son and just between you and me… I told her that I'm gonna try to adopt him…" I hesitated when I saw the shocked look on his face.

"I mean… later on, of course." I added quickly.

He looked at me with a disturbed look on his face, "Man… that's twisted!" he said in an almost uneasy manner.

My heart leapt. I know that Emmett loved Bella and he even loved JC more. But to get this kind of reaction from him meant…

No no no no no no no no!

"I mean… isn't it a bit weird for you to adopt Bella's brother… that's just…" he elaborated in almost disgusted bewilderment.

FUCK!

"What the fuck?! How did you know?!" I asked him in shock.

"Well… it's good that you didn't try to deny it… you would have really offended me. And what do you mean 'how did I know'? _Both_, Rose and I, know about this." He stated matter-of-factly, as if it was a given.

My eyes bugged out, "How did you know?! Who told you?" I snapped at him.

"Well, no one. Rose and I… kind of figured the shit out ourselves. I mean, I know that Bella looks and acts like an amazing mother to JC but…" he stopped looking worriedly at me.

I nodded and gulped loudly rubbing my face with my hands.

"Umm… well, you know that Bella is a straight 'A' student. Well, _straight 'A'_ students tend to do everything by the book. She's someone who would usually be over-protective of her son… don't you think that all those vaccines and check ups that she had asked dad to do _here at our house _instead of at the hospital were a bit off. I mean, don't you think that she should have taken JC to the hospital to get him a full _proper _check up…" he trailed off and waited for me to catch on.

"I… uh… thought that she was really worried and just wanted to get him checked up quickly since it's rather a long ride to the hospital…" I rambled.

Fuck!

How did he figure this shit out where I didn't?

"Don't beat yourself up, man. I know what you're thinking right now." He told me with a smile. I looked at him in disbelief.

_What the fuck?_

"You were always concentrating on the fact that you would be able to see Bella. You weren't thinking on whether this is right or wrong. But for me, as an outside observer, Bella brining her kid to our house wasn't something normally done by someone like her. But it all became really noticeable after school." he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms eyeing me cautiously.

I sat on the edge of my bed and nodded. He was right. There was no denying that fact.

I was always waiting for her like an eager puppy waiting for his master to give him a pat of acknowledgement.

"Well… I conveyed my thoughts to Rose and since we were all attending school, Rosie managed to ask Bella a few questions… and you know how cunning Rose can be…" he smirked and I sighed.

_Well, shit!_

Rose was really smart. Even if she gave out the air of a dumb blonde; she's always surprised the shit out of us with her intelligence and demeanour. Apart from her fascination and knowledge with cars, she had a really high GPA and was expected to go to really good school.

I nodded for him to continue and he did.

"So, a few well-asked questions from Rose and with my suspicions, I knew there was something off. Umm… you remember that I have the knack of umm… 'tapping' the unreachable systems of our beloved country." He said impishly.

I groaned loudly covering my face with my hand.

A few years back Emmett and a couple of his friends had started hacking systems for _fun_… systems that were known to be difficult to be 'accessed' by public.

It started out as a dare once and I never thought that he'd actually continue to do it…

His looks were the opposite of nerdy. Who would believe that behind the body of a jock, resides the lurking brain of hacker!

The fucker doesn't know how serious this shit is now that I know he hasn't stopped!

"Well, let's just say… it was really strange to read the name 'Renee Carter' in the mother's name field on JC's birth certificate." He smirked.

"Fuck…" I cursed in a whisper.

"Don't worry, man. I haven't told anyone else. And even Rose hasn't confronted Bella about it. But by the looks of it, I'd guess you know about this. Also, I think the other guys know about this as well, since they were already close to Bella and all…" he shrugged.

_Jeez, you think!_

I stared at him for a few seconds not knowing what to say.

I heaved a long sigh, "Well, I guess we are all in on this now…" I stated to myself, tugging at my hair and trying to figure out the best way to work this out.

"But, how were you going to adopt JC anyway?" he asked me out of the blue.

I glared at him. For someone that smart, you'd think he'd have enough brains to figure out when to shut the fuck up to let people figure out their shit.

"Shut it for a second and let me think, Em!" I snapped at him.

It's now late afternoon on Saturday; many hours of this weekend were wasted on my incident. Our situation was more fucked up than I thought. And it was getting more and more complicated by the minute!

_Peachy!_

"Jeez, PMSing much? Dude, if you wanna be like this, I'll leave you to it. I can't believe I was thinking of helping you out." He ranted like a baby and turned to the door to leave.

_Whoooaaa! What?!_

"Hey, wait?! What?!" I asked him confused.

He stopped and turned to me, "Dude, I can help you out. At least I can check on the status of JC's adoption in the system and see how things are for you guys. Don't forget that the authorities know about his _deceased_ parents. The last time I checked his guardian's name was 'Tanya Damian'… I'm assuming that's James' mother?" he looked at me waiting for confirmation.

I nodded at him.

"Well, I noticed that his name was up for adoption in the system. Mrs. Damian's guardianship is temporary. What we need to do, if you still want to go on with the adoption… that is..." he looked at me again for confirmation and I nodded.

"Well, we need to initiate the adoption process. Since Mrs. Damian hasn't adopted him legally, people can offer to adopt him and if they offer better conditions like for example… married couple with good income and a stable home… they can do it easily." He finished.

I groaned. Bella will have a heart attack if she hears this conversation.

"Well, yeah. I actually had suggested to Bella that we need to contact a lawyer. I was thinking of Dad's friend Aro… what do you think? Do you think he might tell dad about all this?" I asked him nervously.

"Well… he sounds good. And if we know uncle Aro well, you know as well as I do that he loved the confidentiality of his business. I mean if we approach this the right way, he could be a great asset to our case. You know how he has this soft spot for you." He winked at me and I flipped him off.

It was true. Uncle Aro always had a soft spot for me; telling me how I'm going to be a great doctor and that I'll over-shadow my dad one day.

"Yeah, man. And then Caius would stand there to contradict him with all the bull he could dig out on me…" I retorted remembering how those two would banter like an old married couple.

"Remember what we used to call them?" Em snickered and I couldn't help but do the same.

_Yeah, they were the Pinky and the Brain incarnate._

"But those guys are the best if you want the adoption to go smoothly and…" Em was cut off suddenly.

"Whose adoption are we talking about?" Jasper asked with a serious tone form the door with James peeking from right behind him.

_Jeez! Doesn't anybody knock these days!_

I slammed my palm to my forehead and groaned. _Can this get any more ridiculous?!_

"We are talking about Edward adopting Bella's brother…" Em elaborated to the now glaring blonde guys.

_Well, apparently it can. Thank you, meat-head!_

"What the hell, Edward! Couldn't you keep this to yourself?!" James snapped at me.

I was about to retort a smart-ass respond when Em responded on my behalf, "Dudes, chill! You both have Bella and her brother's welfare at heart and now both Edward and I are going to ensure just that. It doesn't have to be a fight… we can work on it together!" Em snapped at James.

The three of us looked at him surprised.

"Who the fuck would have thought…?" James wondered beside me still gaping at my dumbass of a brother.

I was about to answer when Em pounced on James holding him in a tight headlock, "Now, Jasmine, that's really not polite at all… how about we hear a sorry, _now_…" Em quipped as he kept his death lock on James' head.

"Sorry, fucker. let me go…" James chocked out and took heaving breaths as Em let him go.

"Dude, are you okay?" Jasper patted him on the back as he coughed a few times.

James nodded and Jasper looked at me, "When did you tell Em? Does Bella know?" he eyed me cautiously.

"Jazz, I didn't fuckin' tell him. He figured this shit out on his own!" I snapped at him.

Both Jasper and James gaped at me with open mouths like two gold fish.

"Would you two close your mouths, before I drop you back in your bowls!" I snapped and Em snickered.

_HA!_

They both glared at me and I proceeded to tell them how Emmett came to know of Bella and JC's thing. And I told them of my plan and my last suggestion.

"Damn! I didn't realise that Mom's position as JC's guardian would be so jeopardized with all of this…" James groaned and rubbed his face in exasperation.

"Well, in everyone's defence, I'm not sure that anyone realized this anyway… I just hope we can fix this before anything goes terribly wrong. I mean… it's a miracle that no one was alerted till this minute." I said with a heavy heart.

It was truly a miracle.

"It's not a miracle, man. Bella was smart enough to avoid all the situations and positions that could have alerted anyone to JC… which is… damn, I have no words. I mean it's so hot." Em snapped.

The three of us glared at him.

"What? It is… I mean she's an outlaw now… well almost. It's good she's under eighteen, cause if she gets caught she would be in a lot of trouble with the law…" Em wiggled his eyebrow at me.

I scowled at him, "Shut the fuck up, Em! I don't need that right now!" I snapped at him.

But, damn it if I wasn't reacting to that small bit of information like a horn dog. This was no help to the 'problem' that was forming right now!

"What? Can you imagine how hot she'd look in black leather riding a classic Harley?" Emmett the ass wasn't helping at all.

Fuck!

I cleared my throat as I tried to clear my head of those images of Bella wearing leather and riding a Harley behind me. Holding to me like her life depended on it.

"But in their case, they'd need a sidecar to strap JC's car seat to it…" Jasper mused with a smirk.

The guys burst in laughter and I glared at them.

_Fuckers._

"Ha ha. Very funny. Well, back to the topic at hand…" I snapped at them.

We all sat down and I quickly filled the guys in about the Aro plan. They agreed with me that Em will need to keep an 'online' eye on the situation for us while we work from here on everything else.

"I'll call mom tomorrow morning to see what happened with the adoption she's been working on. I mean, before I came here I was a bit occupied with Vicky and come to think of it… mom hadn't been answering my questions directly. It's like she's been stalling or something…" James said guardedly like he just realized it.

The look on his face was enough to alert me, "Do you think she's having second thoughts?" I asked him as calmly as I could.

"I'm not sure. I know for sure that she would never hurt Bella or JC… but she expressed her reluctance about the idea to Bella before…" he trailed off and looked at his cousin.

"What are ya thinkin', James?" Jasper drawled with a frown.

"I'm not sure… but when Bella left us, mom and I approached mom's friend who is a lawyer too… and what I got from her is that the adoption papers are simple to be drawn out… but in Bella's case, it was quite sensitive since she's just about to turn eighteen. Even if she becomes of age, the idea that she's still under the custody of her father… might complicate the situation.

"Especially that it was Bella's fear of Charlie's reaction to JC that had brought all this on. I mean, even I heard about the fights that Renee and Charlie had. And Bella took them hard. She was afraid that since JC is Phil's kid, Charlie would put him up for adoption right away…" James finished with a sigh.

"I don't think Charlie would do that to Bella…" Jasper stated calmly.

"Dude…" I started protesting but he cut me off.

"Edward, hear me out, please." He gave me a pointed look. I nodded to him half-heartedly and waited for him to talk.

"Have you seen the way Charlie acts around JC. The Chief has got his ass whipped by JC. And if you notice the way Charlie takes care of Bella… I doubt that it would ever come to be as bad as Bella thinks. And do you even think that the Chief would arrest his own daughter for something that she had done out of protection and love for her own brother…" he finished pointedly looking at the three of us.

"I mean, at the beginning, he could have posed a threat, but I don't think that this is the case any more… I think he would be a great asset." He finished with a signature Jasper-winner-smile.

"Dude, get off that pedestal and pull that sceptre out of your ass; maybe then we can continue our non-fairy tale talk…" James quipped as he checked his nails nonchalantly.

Emmett and I burst out in laughter as Jasper glared at his cousin, "Thank you, man. I needed that…" I bumped my fist to his; saluting him and earning a glare from Jasper.

"Anything for Bells, man." He shook his head.

"Care to elaborate on why this can't work…" Jasper asked with a scowl.

"Dude, that won't work for the following... First off, Bella will lose all credibility once the Chief hears a whisper of this. He has Bella's welfare at heart and would want JC out of the picture since I know that he thinks JC is a distraction. Even if he doesn't put him for permanent adoption, at least he'd want him for a few years off her back so that she could complete her education…" Em stated as if it was the most obvious thing.

I nodded and continued, "Second off, the Chief has trusted us to take care of Bella and I'm sure he knows that she trusted us with her secret; thus, we all lose our credibility too… and we won't have a say in what he does..." I added venomously.

"Third off. Dude, did you forget about my mom?" James seethed at him.

Jasper looked at him in confusion.

"Damn it, Jasper. My mom agreed to the plan. So she's considered a culprit and she's not underage! Can you imagine how the Chief would react to that! He would have her for breakfast! And that's the last thing I need…" James finished still glaring at Jasper.

"Sorry, man. That didn't even cross my mind…" Jasper apologized raising his hands in surrender.

James sighed and shook his head, "It's cool, man… It's just this whole situation is so fucked up. I know we shouldn't have agreed to Bella's plan; but she can be quite… _persuasive…"_ he finished and we all nodded.

"You should have seen her at the hospital. I just wanted to take her home and wrap my arms around her to protect her from everything. She looked so vulnerable and small…" James told us quietly.

The thought of Bella like that caused my heart to clench. I can't believe that I wasn't there for her when all that happened. And at the same time, I was jealous that James got to be her 'Knight in Shining Armour'.

"You should have seen her face when she saw JC for the first time at that hospital. I know that she was really sad for her mom and dad… but the look of determination that filled her eyes. Knowing that this little creature would be, totally, depending on her, it was like…" he trailed off and shook his head.

Jasper took a deep breath, "Dude, she's one of the strongest people I've ever met. When I saw her at the mall the first time, I was beyond surprised. And seeing her with a child… totally blew me away! Remember, Edward, when I saw you at the mall…

"I talked to her and the things she said to me… the passion she had in her. Dude, I don't even know if I could have done such a thing… like taking the responsibility of raising a kid… and not even my own kid. Trying to go around every loop-hole there is to ensure his safety… that's just beyond anything I've ever known…" Jasper trailed off his speech quietly and slowly at the end when he saw the looks on our faces.

James, Em and I had mischievous smiles on all our faces as we exchanged knowing looks between each other.

"I think it's safe to say that we have found our spokesman…" James batted his lashes at Jasper.

"Dude, have you ever thought of becoming a lawyer? Cause you totally should pursue this shit." Emmett quipped, "I'd be surprised if uncle Aro doesn't offer to pay your tuition just to have you working with him…" he finished nodding at him.

"No, guys! I don't want to do this. This is way too much responsibility and I'm not sure I'm the person to do that…" he said crossing his arms in front of his chest, "Sorry, guys, but I'm putting my foot down on this one." He stated seriously.

Emmett and James wanted to protest but I raised my hand to stop them. I turned to Jasper and smiled widely at him.

He looked at me suspiciously, "What? I'm not doing this, Edward. You have no way of convincing me to do this…" I chuckled wickedly while still locking gaze with him.

He narrowed his eyes at me, "Man, stop it. You're creeping me out. It's final, I'm not changing my mind…" he said seriously.

I hummed then smacked my lips and looked at Emmett; giving him pointed look.

Em smiled widely in return, "We might not convince you to do it… but a certain_ pixie_ wouldn't be opposed to convincing you…" Emmett threatened with a knowing smile.

Jasper gaped at us, "Guys, you wouldn't…" he shook his head in bewilderment.

I smiled widely at him, "Jazz, my darlin'…" I drawled at him and he groaned.

"I really hate to do this to you, but if you don't want the wrath of your pixie-stick… you're gonna have to help us out." I smirked at him.

He groaned loudly, "I can't believe you're playing the sister card on me! Fuck, Edward! I helped you with Bella… and I gave you a chance…" He snapped and I cut him off.

"And you will _help_ us one more time. Come on, Jazz. You know you can do this. You are the calmest one with brains for this kind of stuff. Damn, if you said that shit in court I would have believed you. You are our winning card in this. That's the only thing I'm asking of you. You'll be our hook with Uncle Aro… he won't be able to resist your _charm._ And you never know. This could be something that will help you in the future…" I winked at him.

He sighed and nodded.

"Perfect! Now we need papers. I'm not sure Bella has all the documents we need. And I'm not sure if we need the original ones…" I spoke to no one in particular.

"Uncle Aro will tell us what we need." Emmett assured me.

"And if there are any documents that we need, I can call mom and ask her for them. I could tell her that Bella needed them for some hospital thing or something." James told us.

We continued our talk and planning not realizing how much time we spent sitting there. Everything was planned.

We didn't know how long our parents were gonna be away. So we decided that we'd go pay Uncle Aro a visit tomorrow. Knowing that his work-addiction would help us find him at work even on a Sunday.

Emmett and I would be the ice-breakers. Jasper would be our main spokesman and James would be his 'witness' to accredit all the needed facts.

"I really hope that JC's adoption would go smoothly. I really don't want to mess this up for Bella. The last thing we need is a social worker asking about JC…" I finished off and heard a gasp behind me.

I turned my head quickly to see Bella frozen near the door. She was staring at Emmett wide-eyed with her mouth covered with her hand.

"I can't believe this." She seethed at me, but shifted her glances between Emmett and I.

"How could you?! Why would…?" She looked beyond angry as she approached us with the girls trailing behind her.

I stood up quickly, "Love, it's not what you think…" I raised my hands trying to calm her down.

"What does that even mean?!" she snapped at me shaking with anger.

"I didn't say anything." I assured her while trying to hold her to me to soothe her anger.

"What? So, you're gonna deny that you were talking about JC's…" she cut off herself to look behind her and then completed, "_Thing…"_ she fumed.

I opened my mouth to say something but Emmett beat me to it. He stood up and walked to Bella, "Bells, I already know. Edward never betrayed you. Rose and I already know about JC." Emmett confirmed in a strong voice as he stood beside Rose who looked at the girls and nodded her head solemnly.

Alice and Vicky gasped. A blunt knife could have cut through the thick tension that filled the room.

We all were looking at Bella who looked like she was about to pass out, "I… how… please…" she started stammering and shaking. Suddenly, she stopped talking and started gasping for breaths.

Shit! She's hyperventilating.

I quickly held her to me and looked in her eyes, "Love, breathe. Breeeaaaathe… shhhhh… breathe… everything will be fine. Shhhh…" I cooed at her.

"No… JC… What if… Oh, God…" she sobbed into my shirt all while I rubbed her back.

"Love, calm down. It's better than you think… calm down and I'll tell you what happened…" I cooed at her again.

The girls tried to pull her from me but I gave them warning looks. No one was touching my Bella.

Apparently, Bella's outburst had scared JC; who started whimpering and holding out his hands reaching for Bella to take him.

Bella looked at him and released herself from my arms to take JC. She was still hiccupping but her sobbing had quieted drastically once she saw what her crying had done to JC.

"Shhhh, baby. Everything is okay… I'm fine…" she cooed at him in between hiccups.

She looked at me accusingly, "Please sit down and I'll tell you what happened. All of you, girls, please sit down." I told them.

Alice looked at us, "Well, Bella has prepared a big dinner for all of us. How about we talk downstairs?" she suggested.

"Damn, Bells. I knew I loved you for a good reason. All this thinking has made me hungry…" Emmett flew out of the door and the guys filed out behind him; leaving Alice, Bella and I in the room.

Bella was still holding JC to her like her life depended on it but was averting her gaze from me.

"Bella…" Alice started softly as she patted Bella's back.

"Everything will be fine. This is not a bad thing, you know. I just know that everything will work out for the best. You'll see. I'll leave you for a minute, you two. Don't be long…" Alice finished and left Bella and I alone.

We stayed silent for a full minute before she raised an accusing gaze to me, "I trusted you." That was the only thing she said before she turned and was about to leave the room until I stopped her.

"And you can always trust me. Emmett just told you that he knew. I didn't tell him anything; he figured it out on his own…" I trailed off a bit harshly.

I didn't like the fact that she was trying to pin this on me.

She looked at me with confusion, "You mean… Em was telling the truth. But how…? Uh… when…" she stammered while still rocking JC.

I sighed, "I'm sure the guys will tell you now. Let's go have something to eat." I kissed her on her forehead and ushered her downstairs.

Once we entered the room, the guys hooted and gave us some cat calls making Bella blush beautifully.

"Shut it, guys. We haven't even been three minutes alone!" I pulled out a chair for Bella and waited for her as she placed JC in his bassinet and sat down.

I pulled the chair beside her and sat down holding her hand in mine.

"So, I suggest that we eat and then we can discuss everything afterwards. It's already late to do anything today anyway…" I told the group who started to dig in.

"Thank God… don't worry, Eddie. Once we eat, you can recite the 'Gettysburg Address' for all I care…" Emmett joked as he started stuffing his face and humming in pleasure.

I glared at him and looked at Bella who had a look of dread on her face while she stared at her empty plate.

I squeezed her hand lightly and she looked at me. I gave her a reassuring smile and kissed her hand. She smiled tentatively and sighed.

I know that I only had a big meal a few hours ago… but I couldn't help eating a few more servings of this delicious food.

I stuffed my face while noticing how the girls were giving Bella reassuring smiles and winks. I looked at my angel to see that she was smiling shyly at them while picking at her food.

_Well, now… we can't have that._

I filled a spoon with that delicious rice she had made with some stew, "Open up, love." I told her with a smile.

"Edward, I have my own plate…" she stopped arguing once she saw me glaring at her with my hand still holding the food in front of her mouth.

She sighed and opened her mouth. I fed her a few mouthfuls before she started protesting again.

"Bella, I can finish your plate if you're full…" Emmett told her from the end of the table earning a few glares from the guys and a slap on the back of his head from Rose.

_The fucker doesn't know when to just shut it!_

I glared at him, "thank you, Rose…" I said from between clenched teeth still glaring at my retard of a brother.

"It's okay, Edward. He can have my plate…" Bella told me sweetly.

I slowly turned to her and stared at her with blazing eyes for a good 30 seconds.

She lowered her gaze and gulped audibly. I didn't stop my staring till my sister interrupted us, "Jeez, Edward. That's scary. You remind me of dad when he used to scold us for our grades. Give Bella a rest, you fed her enough!" Alice chastised me as she got up to clean the table.

I looked at Bella who gave her an appreciative look and then looked back at me. I scowled at her some more, "Well, someone didn't eat their food before and they look like they're gonna pass out any second." I scolded no one in particular.

Everyone turned to look at Bella who lowered her gaze and mumbled something like, "lots of food…"

"How about you finish half of that plate and _Edward_ would finish the other half…" Rose told her from across the table as she glared at Emmett who was about to protest.

"Sure," Bella smiled gratefully at Rose and attempted to take the spoon from me to 'finish' her portion.

I pulled my hand away from her, "Uh… I don't think so. I know that you won't be eating that and you'll be leaving most of it to me… I'll be the one to decide on how much you need to finish… come on, now. Open up…" I told her off while holding a spoon close to her lips.

He scowled at me and opened her mouth reluctantly.

"That's my good girl…" I praised her and pecked her lips.

She looked at the others and rolled her eyes at me.

_Hmm… was she defying me? That should be interesting…_

I bent sideways to get a bit closer to her, "Are you rolling your eyes at me?" I asked her in a low husky voice.

She froze beside me and her face flushed. She squirmed in her seat and gulped her food trying to get up.

I closed my hand on her arm, holding her in place and raising my eyebrow at her, "Where do you think you're going? You haven't finished yet…" I told her quietly.

I motioned for her with my eyes, "Sit down." I said in a hushed tone keeping my gaze on her.

I felt her shiver a bit and sit down slowly.

I smirked at her squirming, "Open up, we'll '_talk'_ about you rolling your eyes at me later…" I spoke softly.

She gulped loudly and sat there eating under my blazing gaze till she finished the portion I thought was reasonable for her to be functioning soundly.

I pecked her quickly on the lips, "Good girl..." I purred at her and started eating my half with a smug smile.

She narrowed her eyes at me and neared me to whisper something in my ear, "Are you sure that's what I am?" she purred in my ear and bit my lobe a bit hard.

I chocked on my food and coughed loudly.

"Are you okay there, man?" Emmett asked me as he patted me on the back.

I took a few calming breaths and wiped the tears from my eyes. I narrowed my eyes at Bella who was talking to the girls and giving me sideway glances not daring to look at me directly.

"Oh, I'm fine, Em. Just fine…" I purred not looking away from her.

She blushed and held JC from his chair.

I stood up and asked the guys to sit at the table to explain to Bella about the plan and how Emmett and Rose came to find out about JC.

A few hours later, all of us were on the same page.

Alice of course paraded about how her 'Jazzy' would make an excellent lawyer someday. Having '_foreseen'_ it herself.

I cocked a brow at him and got him to fidget in his chair uneasily.

Bella seemed quite relaxed now. She was sitting beside me and leaning against my body with JC playing and cooing in her lap.

So, we came to the following conclusions…

_First_, the guys and I would pay a 'friendly' visit to uncle Aro tomorrow with the pretence of checking up on him.

_Second_, Emmett and I will initiate the talk and ask him if it's okay for us to retain his services separately from our father's work relationship with him.

_Third_, Jasper will make his '_deposition'_ and try to give as much facts and give all the shit he has.

And _finally_, James will try as much as he can to back Jasper up.

Hopefully by the end… he'll agree to help us.

We would be paying him on our own; I'll tell him that there would be no need to contact our father. Cause dad can't know about the case since we are his clients now; and it would be breaching the client-lawyer confidentiality agreement.

We got up and went to watch a movie, it was one of the new comedy movies and it got us all laughing like maniacs, which was somewhat understandable if you think of all the madness we've been through these last few hours.

Even JC stayed late with us, he was laughing at our laughter and cooing at us when we went silent.

Around midnight, we agreed to meet for breakfast around eight and start our journey to Port Angeles, where Uncle Aro's office was, at nine. The girls decided to take Bella and JC shopping at the mall. Alice winked at me. I knew she was doing this to keep Bella from going insane from worrying about the outcome of our little meeting tomorrow. And it was most appreciated.

When Bella started complaining that she didn't need anything, I saw James wink at Vicky who jumped in to the rescue; she told Bella that she needed to go shopping anyway… that James needed a few warmer clothes since his Arizona ones weren't warm enough for Washington weather.

I smiled wickedly but quickly wiped it off my face and replaced it with an innocent smile of my own.

Bella turned to me suddenly, eyeing me warily, "Why do I always feel that you guys are plotting something…?" she trailed off and turned her gaze between all our faces.

The guys dismissed her 'silly' comment and wished us goodnight.

I left her at her bedroom door and went to my room to take a much needed shower, being careful of my injuries of course. Once done, I got out of the shower, dried off and put a pair of boxers and pyjama pants forgoing the top.

I went to Bella's room, on the other side of the bathroom, to find her rocking JC gently to sleep.

"Hey, love, is he asleep yet?" I whispered and came to her side.

She raised her face with a smile on it, "Not yet… he's a bit excited. He had quite an entertaining day today with all the people around him and the ruckus _some_ people have been causing…" she teased me quietly.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about…" I dismissed her teasing quickly and took JC from her, slowly and careful of my hand, noticing how he came to my arms all too willingly.

"But for good measure, I'm sure you're tired and I'm sure you'd appreciate a hot shower right now. Go on, love. I'll put JC to bed…" I said quietly and pecked her on the lips.

"Oh, you have no idea of how much I need that shower…" she breathed and pecked me on the lips before heading to the bathroom for her own shower.

"See, little man. We'll take good care of you… yeah, we will…" I cooed at him,

"All those crazy people you saw today are working together just for you, big boy… oh, yes they are…" I cooed some more and he giggled waiving his hand in my face.

I looked at him with a smile on my face… this was… _nice_. It felt… _right._ I wondered how it would feel when Bella and I have our first son. And at that thought I felt a tug at my heart.

I rocked him slowly and hummed lowly to him till he fell asleep. Just as I put him in his bed, Bella got out of the bathroom with damp hair and only my shirt on her. And not just that… she had managed to somehow fasten a few buttons _crookedly…_ meaning… a big area of her pearly chest was showing with some ample amount of her cleavage and her legs… oh dear God, her legs… they seemed to go on forever…

_Fuck_!

My mouth fell open and I was frozen in place beside JC's bed. I felt the familiar tightening start to form in my pants, but still I wouldn't dare move. I was just standing there gaping at the vision in front of me.

"It's not polite to stare, Mr. Cullen…" she teased as she approached the dresser to brush her hair.

I took a few calming breaths but that was not helping; I closed my eyes for a second to regain some of my composure. I was beginning to feel calm again… that is, till the next thing she did.

She bent down a bit to reach one of the last drawers in the dresser; thus, exposing almost all her legs and the side of her left ass cheek.

_Fucking hell! She wasn't wearing any panties!_

An audible groan left my mouth when I recognized and realized that it was some skimpy panties she was seeking.

At that point, I was ready to pass out knowing there was no blood left in my brain to process even the function of breathing.

She flashed me a perfect smile, "Sorry, I forgot to take a change of underwear… I'll come in a minute…" with that cheeky grin, she left to the bathroom to put on her…_ panties!_

_Oh, love, you can cum anytime you want… right now… later on… on bed… around me… just anywhere… anytime…_

I rubbed my face roughly to knock some sense into my head.

She got out with a wide smile and approached me slowly.

I narrowed my eyes at her, "That wasn't nice at all, love." I warned her as she stood beside me.

"What? I just came to carry JC's Bassinet… I thought you wanted me to sleep in your bed?" she asked me innocently as bent down giving me full show of her long legs and lace-covered juicy behind.

I took in a shaky breath, cause at that moment, I was about to lose my load right then and there, "If you think you're sleeping anywhere else, you'd be thoroughly mistaken…" I told her huskily while pressing the front of my pants to her almost bare behind.

She gasped, "Edward!" She chastised me.

I knew we were both too tired, especially her, "Don't worry, we're not doing anything… this is just a warning… don't start something you're not willing to finish…" for emphasis, I ground my front to her behind; making her moan.

I chuckled as I removed myself from behind the now panting Bella and carried the bassinet to my room.

I checked on JC one last time and tucked the cover around him before I got into my bed.

Bella came and laid beside me, releasing a long heavy sigh after stretching herself, "God… it's been a long day." She breathed softly staring at the ceiling.

I stayed on my side just staring at her, I could see that she had something on her mind and I could bet it was the whole JC ordeal, "A penny for your thought," I asked her quietly not breaking our eye contact.

She turned to me and smiled sadly. I smiled at her and opened my arms in invitation. She leapt on me and snuggled to my front holding me tightly with both her arms. I felt her form trembling a bit, "Are you cold, love?" I asked her and started rubbing her back in a soothing way.

She shook her head and took a ragged breath. Then she removed her face from my chest and looked at me with watery eyes, "I'm scared, Edward…" she spoke in a soft shaky voice.

That was all the confirmation I needed. I held her tightly to me and let her cry for a while. I knew all those things that had happened in the last 24 hours were taking their toll on her. I kept rubbing her back and muttering comforting words in her ear.

"Everything will work out fine, love… We are all gonna make sure that you and JC are safe… no one will take JC from us… shhhh… I love you… shhhh… it's okay. Everything will be okay…" I kept that up till she calmed down.

A few hiccups later, she raised her red puffy eyes to me, "Can you say that again?" she asked me shyly.

I looked at her in confusion at first, but then I realized what she needed to hear, "I love you, Bella…" I told her with a smile only to make her smile wider, "I love you, too…" she said back and kissed me softly on the lips.

I hummed against her lips. And since my last situation hadn't actually 'dissolved' fully, I thought this would be a good time to stop, "Love, you're not helping my situation at all… both of us need rest for tomorrow. Sleep now, come here…" I tucked her to my side and turned off the side lamp.

A few seconds later, Bella's breathing evened out and she was fast asleep. I buried my face in her still damp hair and breathed her in for a few moments before surrendering to sleep myself.

~~~~~**~~~~~

"Come on, guys, we don't want to be late!" I called out to everyone.

The Cullen residence today was a beehive. It was buzzing since early this morning. I suppose eight couples would do that to a house.

My Bella, of course, was the first to wake up. She got up really early and took a quick shower. Then attended to all JC's needs.

I woke up almost as early as her, but thought I'd watch her in her morning routine from bed. It was amazing how someone as uncoordinated as her could be so synchronized with all the work around her. She was like Queen Bee! She knew where to get things, how to organize everything for JC's bath and bottles, even his clothing!

I felt like an ass just watching her, so I offered her help, but she declined my offer with a kiss to my forehead. She claimed that I needed all the energy for today's meeting with Uncle Aro.

I slept a few more minutes, but then I heard her calling my name. It felt like I only closed my eyes a moment. But I discovered that it was already 8:15 am.

"Come on, Edward. You need to get up. Breakfast is ready and if you're not down soon, Em will eat everything…" she said as she kissed me on the forehead.

I was loving and getting addicted to those kisses, "Alright, alright... I'm up. I didn't realize that I slept that long…" I said and got up from bed to attend to my morning rituals.

I went downstairs to find the kitchen buzzing with the working ladies, "Morning, ladies. I hope all of you got a goodnight's sleep." I saluted them and sat down to help myself to some breakfast.

Everything was delicious as always, "Compliments to the Chef…" I said to Bella who was sitting beside me.

"Here, here…" all of the guys cheered.

Bella blushed and thanked the guys. The girls and the guys managed to clean the kitchen while Bella and I prepared JC's stuff for the day's journey.

Once everyone and everything were ready, we decided to take two cars. The guys will get in Emmett's Jeep. And the girls would take Bella's Volvo.

It was good that the girls were a bit small. They fit well in the back even with JC's car seat installed.

We started our journey together, we didn't need to separate our ways till later on. It was a good drive. Rose was the designated driver of the girls since she wasn't a 'nervous wreck' like Bella was.

I kept an eye on the girls car almost all the way to Port Angeles, noticing how the girls were talking animatedly and Bella was just staring into space and stroking JC's head every once in a while.

"Everything will be okay, Edward. I'm sure your Uncle is a reasonable man and he'll help us out…" Jasper told me quietly from the back seat.

"Yeah, man. I hope so. You should see Bella…" I told him as I looked at him through the mirror.

"Yeah, I noticed. If Vicky hadn't stopped her, she would have cooked to feed a whole army…" James added and Emmett chuckled.

We neared the exit where we would part ways. I looked at the girls' car and noticed that Bella was looking at me with sad eyes. I mouthed to her, "I love you" and she smiled and mouthed them back.

I heaved a sigh as we took the exit and didn't break eye contact with her till we couldn't see each other any more.

A few minutes later, we reached Uncle Aro's Office. It was in one of the most elegant buildings in Port Angeles.

"Okay, guys, this is it. Here goes nothing." I muttered to them as we made our way to the office.

Since it was a Sunday, the offices were almost empty except for a few people scattered here and there and the cleaning agency.

I knocked on his office door, noticing that his secretary wasn't there.

"Come in…" a muffled voice came from behind the door.

I looked at the guys who nodded at me and took a breath before turning the door handle.

The office was huge. Two big dark desks were there with bookshelves covering almost two of the office walls. The windows were from floor to ceiling giving some great illumination to the office.

"Edward! Emmett! My boys, what brings you here?" Uncle Aro greeted us as he came from around his desk.

Uncle Aro was over fifty years old, but you can hardly tell. He had a pale face with few wrinkles that you'd think he's not even over forty. He was shorter than I and he wasn't fat. According to mother, he was _one_ of the most elegant gentlemen she's ever met.

He shook our hands warmly and shifted his eyes to look at James and Jasper who were still standing at the door, "Who are your friends?" he gestured to the guys.

"Uh… This is Jasper, Alice's boyfriend. And this is James Damian, Jasper's cousin and a friend from Phoenix who just recently moved to Port Angeles…" I made the introductions.

He shook their hands and gestured to all of us to sit. He had a corner that was furnished with leather couches. We took our seats there.

"Would anyone like anything to drink?" he asked us reaching for the office intercom.

"Um… no, thank you, Uncle Aro. It's just a friendly visit and then we'll be off…" I told him with a smile.

"My boy, Edward, I can sense that this is not your normal 'everyday' visit. All of you know that… I think coffee is a good idea…" he ordered us some coffees while we sat there dumfounded till everything was served.

The guys and I exchanged worried glances, till Uncle Aro came to sit on the single sofa in front of us.

"So, now, dear boys… who's gonna tell me what's going on. I can tell it's not speeding tickets that's got you all sweating and pale…" he chuckled but held our gazes with his piercing black eyes.

Shit!

I looked at the guys not knowing what to do.

"You are right, Mr. Volturi. We have come to you for a graver issue than speeding tickets." Jasper said in his calm manner.

I released a sigh of relief. Jasper's demeanour was almost the same as Aro's. He was composed and collected. A few seconds passed in complete silence.

I looked between Jasper and Uncle Aro to see them locked in a staring contest.

Aro was the first to break the silence with a quiet chuckle, "It must be quite important… I'm talking about whatever got the four of you all riled up like that…" he mused quietly and took a quick sip of his coffee; never breaking eye contact with Jasper.

I looked at Jasper who narrowed his eyes at Uncle Aro causing him to chuckle louder this time, "Sorry, I mean three of you… I can see that _Jasper_ here is perfectly composed…" he continued his musing shaking his head in astonishment.

"Yeah, we were coming to you… um… I mean, we wanted to ask…" I stopped my stammering when Uncle Aro raised a hand to stop me.

He pointed his finger at Jasper who was still locking gaze with him, "I want Jasper to speak… no one else, Jasper may ask only one of you to provide more information or evidence during his talk… but I can see that he's your spokesman, isn't he?" he said with a smile.

Jasper gave him a tight smile and nodded minutely at him. Then he looked at the three of us as if asking permission and we all nodded at him, mutely.

Jasper proceeded then, "Mr. Volturi, I'm gonna go straight to the point, cause I know you can read past the nonsense. So, let me summarize it all as follows…" he started.

He started telling him about Bella's story, beginning with her mother's death but was interrupted with Uncle Aro's clearly bored voice, "This is all amusing, kid. But how is this relevant to what you need from me?" he cut him off quietly.

Jasper had a fierce look on his face when he answered that scared the shit out of me, "Sir, this is relevant. I'm not telling you a bedtime story. Every bit of information I'm giving you is relevant and will all start to connect in your mind at some point. But for now, I'd appreciate it if you don't interrupt me again…" he finished with a scowl.

I was scared that Uncle Aro would kick us all out with this outburst coming from Jasper. I looked at the guys who had the same scared shitless looks on their faces. That's when we heard it.

"Fascinating…" Uncle Aro mused softly.

He smiled widely, "This is the last time I'll interrupt you, Jasper, please proceed. I'm all ears, now…" he leaned back in his chair and waited for Jasper to continue the story.

We all sighed in relief and Jasper proceeded in telling Uncle Aro every fact there is to tell about Bella and JC's situations. Uncle Aro only interrupted him when he needed some technical information which James helped provide.

After Jasper was done, Uncle Aro turned to me, "So, you want to adopt JC. Because Ms. Swan isn't eighteen yet to take full custody over JC…" He asked me quietly.

"That's correct." I answered him briefly.

"My, my… I can't believe you are the same boy whose father would come to me to fix his speeding tickets for him…" he pondered.

He looked at me for a few more seconds then smiled widely, "You have some great friends around you, Edward. I'd treasure them for as long as I live. Especially, Jasper here…" he smiled widely at Jasper who gave him a courteous nod.

"Let me check a few things before I tell you if I can actually help you in that dilemma of yours…" he got up slowly and made his way to his desk.

He got some information about JC from me and rang someone on the phone. A few seconds later, a boy a bit older than us came in. Uncle Aro gave him some instructions quietly and sat down at his desk working on his computer ignoring us completely. The boy went to his adjacent office and closed the door.

"It'll be a few minutes." Uncle Aro said and turned his attention to his computer.

A few minutes later, "Huh… that's strange…" Uncle Aro bemused from his desk.

The guys and I exchanged some worried glances when we heard him and got up to go closer to his desk, "What is it Uncle Aro? Can you help us? You know money isn't an issue… and that…" I said quickly but he cut me off.

"Relax, my boy. It's not the money I'm worried about." He sneered at me.

"I just can't take the adoption case simply because…" he started and I cut him off angrily.

"Why the fuck not!? I wouldn't have come to you if you weren't the best and…" I snapped but he stood up and cut me off again.

"Boy! You will not raise your voice at me!" he snapped at me his face going hard.

The guys whispered to me to calm the fuck down, so I took a few calming breaths and looked at Uncle Aro who was studying me.

"Sorry, I had no business acting like that… and I'd like to apologise…" I said as quietly as possible.

"Well. Thank you, Edward. But unfortunately that doesn't change anything. Like I said before you rudely interrupted me. I couldn't take the case simply because it's nonexistent" He added with a smile then sat down again.

I looked at him in confusion and then at the guys who had the same confused expressions on their faces, "What does that even mean? It's a simple case. I want to adopt JC and that's it." I told him from between clenched teeth.

"Dear, boy. You can't adopt a baby who has already been adopted." Uncle Aro told us quietly.

"Adopted? What? Who's adopted? No one has adopted JC. That's what I'm gonna do now…" I stammered in panic.

I looked at the guys who had this freaked out look on their faces. Just then, the door opened and the assistant came in giving Aro a printed out paper.

"Thanks, Alex. That would be all…" Uncle Aro took the paper and smiled at the assistant who turned and left the room quickly.

"Uncle Aro. You're not making any sense…" I told him in tight voice.

"Boy, you don't seem to be getting what I'm saying. JC, or James Carter, according to the records is already adopted and he's waiting to be collected by the rightful custodians…" Uncle Aro said with a sympathetic smile.

A collective "WHAT!" bellowed from the guys as I stared at him pale-faced and one word left my mouth.

"Bella!"

**End Chapter Seventeen**

**AN: Please tell me that you liked it… please tell me it's worth the wait! I guess to all the Jasper fans, he was the hero of this chapter ;) please leave me some lovin'… your reviews sound better to me than having some Edward taking care of ya… Luv ya babies and Merry Xmas :)**


	21. Chapter 18

**Summary**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, espclly, with the green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessive-ward. Razzle Dazzle Nominee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**AN: I really have no excuse for being late except RL and Crazy work… I hope that the extra long chapter will make up for this… people, so many surprises are ahead… little hints and small snippets will catch your attention I'm sure… so, please enjoy and check out the AN at the end please…**

**To all of you my amazing readers, I name…**

tahliaa, Wants-fang-for-herself, ForeverM, spacecase81, 464.x, Epatz, LadyAkina, gossip-bangkok, KagomeRulz, Soccer11, seraphslastkiss, Summer Leah, EdwardsBrunette2, acw1, edwardbabymomma, NATwilight, Thinkingofyou19, fanficreader83, lovingit3, BellaAshes, Tasia626, RoseArcadia, madehoney, Kerry Hale, .19, tbonemom0512, brooklynnjack, BellaCullenPR, cheshirekat516, Deex, BoookWoorm35, lalibare, Kimmie39, TexasTwilight77, princessnerra, aerobee82, flyrbrd, yankeerose, l lynn, reesessweetie, trustme83, ladysharkey1, canadiantwilight, Jewels64, Markiee, alwayswatchingtv, cvaughn82, Twilightie, MzCoqueta, ecsc, edwardcullenfanforlife, Kefe, MYM, EMMW77, babylopez2008, nunigurl, dizzykaz, pippyXYZ, mangaprincess130293, Litany Gone, xAkashaLunax, Bella Quinn, kvgamble, ZiggaZigAhh, Mels78, amo9511, DB.1994, Twilight-boo, Twilight Luverrrr, BronzeHairedMystery, Hope4more, caligyrl4cullen, jktwi, Treya, mdeal82, Emmii, njdevil30718, omgrockit101, Chellie09, aurla0, foxjessica70, save the volvo ride a cullen, SweetHart2BME, augustine4, IsabellaMarieandEdwardAnthony, cheermom13, tkeaton1, SharkGurl, nermalasu, tcrew, -edwardcullen, Mimigrace, LOVE IS A GIFT, pmm, Mimigrace, Lizzie18salmons, beignet, MyriadProBold, i love rob always, maggiejoma, hershey123, twilight4ever359, holnico, mveroherr, kuntrygal, Adienna, mommyamybee, angel-cordy, EmraePenne, soccershadow3, amwine, AngelsLuvMe, theorange3, jenn9394, jenn9394, Cydryna Marie, juliaSwan, i wanna be a lamb, RomperStomper, alsotwilightandedwardfan, twilightfanficreader, 71star, Lillie Cullen, .LovelyXLullaby., bringITback, bnjwl, hehehe, xfarahx, ginnmeadows, Yecatstacey, Giaah, Bellalullabye09, mommytwilight, SpencerSince1994, Cullen-Girl-98, Otakugal, Raven Jadewolfe, Twilvr17, luv4jake, gjmb2000, KRYork, emroseliz, AmberrrJune, rayekay, Humble4, amgrant3, sillybellasara, zdra8351, xneverthinkx, Laura, jenitwilightfan, YankeeFan202, sessahhh, rosalierox, JasmineMarie84, queenfrizz30, Twilight-Maniac3888, Babe Pryor, dontrun, wackynicolecsu, may-bell-rose, SweetPeaTenaj91, 522read, LA TUA CANTANTE MS. CULLEN, summerleigh81, Lizzie2325, bugsmama07, unLuKy, Allieamyxxx, Ice Demon Ranger, Anita118, Descartes1, X-xXxPrincess-IsabellaxXx-X, aliciataz, StephyF, Nez93, jackspergirl, xxGreenEyedGodessxx, snv3, ju007, ingrid44, Nicci06, MafiaBitches, LoveThoseVampires and Chillz Howdy

**You are all AMAZING! With your continuous support this story has become what it is now :) I really hope that I haven't missed any of your names ;)**

**Special shout out** to my awesome friend **Breath-of-twilight (Kelli)** for **betaing** my chapter at a moment's notice! Thank you so much, Luv ya bb! Check out her profile for **V Countdown yummies** and her story **Distorted Reality**.

Also, to huge kisses and hugs goes to **Kefe** for doing the **pre-reading **of this chapter, you did awesome job bb, I really can't thank you enough! Please check out her profile for her latest story **A Tangled Web.**

Shout outs to the following wonderful stories…

"**Like a Moth to A Flame" and "Lullaby and Goodnight: The Sleep Stalker"** by **CitizenCullen25**, please don't leave us hanging, bb :)

Stories that are awesome and I'm betaing… **"Freeze Frames" **by **Jewels64,** **"Homecoming" **by **dontrun, "If You Just Realize" **by **Mrs. EdwardxoxoxoCullen**** and "Never Letting You Go" **by **DawnVisions **please check them out!

Shit! That was one long AN!

**Okay! Now without further ado, here it is…**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter Eighteen**

_A collective "WHAT!" bellowed from the guys as I stared at him pale-faced and one word left my mouth._

"_Bella!"_

…

You hear that? That's what skin crawling sounds like.

Yeah.

That's how dead-silent the office went after our outburst.

We stood near the edge of his desk just gaping at him in horror. Not knowing what else to say.

Hell!

At that moment, I wasn't sure that I knew how to breathe.

Bella's face filled my mind. How the fuck was I supposed to tell her what I had just heard!

"There has to be something wrong…" Em was the first one to break the silence.

We all turned our heads to look at him as he continued.

"The last time I checked he wasn't adopted." Em told us matter-of-factly.

"Well, kid, the last time _I_ checked, which was just a few minutes ago. And from what I saw in his record, JC was very much adopted. And I think the adoption took place recently. Like…" Uncle Aro looked at the screen in front of him.

"Oh my!" he exclaimed with a furrowed brow.

"What?" I asked him anxiously.

"The adoption took place on Friday; as in the day before yesterday. If only you had here gotten sooner… I can't believe how close you were," he apologized.

Fuck!

It was the day I found out about this whole thing.

"No!" I said forcefully, making uncle Aro jump in his seat a bit.

"That's not happening. You need to tell me what I have to do. I can't have someone knocking at the door asking us to hand them JC! I don't care what it is, I'll do it." My firm voice surprised even me.

Uncle Aro looked at me with a mix of pity and determination.

"There is no way around it, boy. We can't revoke the adoption now that it has been granted. There would be an evaluation and another…" he stopped talking when I started shaking my head furiously.

"When you say that there is an evaluation… that would entail JC being removed from our care and into the adoptive family, doesn't it?" I asked with an angry glare.

Uncle Aro eyed me for a second and nodded solemnly.

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen." I stated firmly.

"Dear boy, you need to calm down. You can't think clearly when you are overreacting." Uncle Aro said with a small smile trying to usher us to sit down.

"Calm down!" James bellowed from the other side of the desk. His body was rigid and his face was as red as a tomato.

"My mother was working on JC's adoption. She would have said something if there was anything wrong. So, don't tell us to calm down; and check those records again cause there's gotta be a mistake!" he growled at Uncle Aro, who gave him a sympathetic glance.

"Well, that's good. Why don't you call her and see what's happened with that?" Uncle Aro gave him a tight smile and gestured to James' cell, which was about to break in the his tight grip.

We all looked at him and quickly said 'okay'.

He flipped the phone open and dialed his mother's number. The office went quiet; and we all could hear the dial tone waiting to be answered.

A few agonizing seconds later, we heard a muffled 'hello' coming from his cell.

"Hey, Mom," James said with a grimace; trying to contain the anger that I could still see surging through his body.

"Yeah, I'm good. You?" He continued the conversation quietly while taking a few deep breaths.

"Yeah, Mom, that's good… Yeah, I'm out with the guys…… No, I just… Umm… listen, Mom… MOM! Yeah, listen, Bella was asking me about JC. She's really worried about what's going on right now. Remember you told her that you had a friend who was a social worker…… yeah… aha… no, it's just that since her eighteenth birthday is near. She asked me about the papers… Yeah…" he listened for a few seconds, his face blank of any emotions; making me almost go damn near crazy with anticipation.

I was about to take the cell from him and demand to know what was being said, when James' face went pale, and he stumbled a bit before he seated himself on the arm of one of the sofas.

"No? But why didn't you say anything before! What do you mean 'everything will be okay'!! MOM! What does that even mean?" he bellowed into his cell.

We all stood there frozen in place waiting for this stupid argument to come to an end.

"No! If you didn't want to do it in the first place, why did you offer your help to begin with?! Why did you promise to help Bella if you wouldn't see it through to the end! No! Now someone could be knocking on Bella's door asking her to hand her son to them! What?! NO! I won't calm the fuck down…" he yelled into his cell. We all listened as an angry woman's voice came from the other end telling him to watch his mouth.

A colorful assortment of curses flew from his mouth as he clenched and unclenched his fist.

"You know, Mom, you could have just told her that you couldn't help," he stated in a calm voice before he listened for a few more seconds.

"Yeah. Well, you know what, Mom. Thanks for nothing." He stated calmly and flipped the phone shut, not waiting for his mother's reply.

He buried his face in his hands for a full thirty seconds; leaving us all on edge and making us lose our minds.

"Well, yeah." He raised a pale, strained looking face to glance at us.

"What the fuck happened?" I asked him while dreading the answer.

He looked at me for a second and then shook his head slowly, "Mom said that she started with the procedure, but then her friend 'advised' her to wait till Bella turns eighteen, that there was no rush to it. So, she didn't proceed with anything. She said that 'everything will be fine' and tried to assure me that Bella is worrying over nothing. And…" James stopped his word vomit and raised his hands to his head to tug at his hair.

"SHIT! I can't believe this is happening!" he looked like he was about to cry.

I looked at him with a red face, my body quivering with rage.

"Bella had totally depended on us with only that task and we've failed her miserably. My mom…" he stammered but I cut him off when I almost pounced on him but was stopped by Emmett.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! How could your mom be so fucking indifferent about such a matter? You know how Bella is gonna feel now!? You know how she's gonna react!?" I snapped at him as I tried to attack him but was held back by my brother.

"Dude, this is not the time to lose your cool. We gotta think of something that we can do." Jazz snapped at me as he stood, blocking James from my view.

"He's right you know…" the grave voice of forgotten Uncle Aro came from behind me.

I pushed Em away and tried to calm myself.

We stood there, no one daring to look at the other for what seemed like forever.

"I'm sorry I can't help you, kids. At least not in the _conventional_ way…" Uncle Aro told us quietly.

Hmmm… conventional he says.

What about the_ unconventional?_

Of Course!

Just then an idea flashed in my head.

"Yes, there is something that you can help me with," I said quickly.

"You can start working on a marriage permit for Bella and I. We are getting married on her eighteenth birthday. That's on September the thirteenth. That will be the _first_ thing you'll be working on…"

Uncle Aro and the guys looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

"Dude, that's not the time…"

"I don't think Bella will…"

"What about the adoption…"

The guys started before I stopped them with a glare.

_Guys, you're ruining everything. _I wanted to yell at them.

Once they had all shut up, I turned my gaze to Uncle Aro, who looked like he was contemplating on when was the perfect moment to get out the butterfly net.

_Come on, Uncle Aro…_

"Can you do that?" I asked him determinedly.

He nodded, "But, boy, this won't change anything…" he started as I shook my head, but he stopped me with a glare and his firm voice, "You came here for my help, boy, so let me finish."

_Yep, go on…_

"This adoption will be taking effect immediately; which means that they will still take the kid away from you. And even with Bella's blood-relation to the baby, she's still a minor so she won't be able to keep him." He said in a matter-of-fact voice.

His gaze was gentler when he patted me on the back.

"You should think things through, Edward, before you ruin the special relationship you have with that exceptional lady of yours. You need to ask for her father's help. He will support you. I know it. Wait, let me finish…" He stopped me when I attempted to dismiss his request.

_Finish?! Oh, __Uncle, I haven't even started yet._

"Edward, the Chief is a sensible person. Do you think he would want his daughter to be unhappy? I mean even with all the banters and fights he had with her mother; he would _never_ _ever_ hurt her intentionally! During the time Isabella was with her mother, he missed his daughter so much and fought so hard to get her back. Don't you think that he would think twice before taking away her only happiness and the only thing that kept her sane after the loss of her mother?" he said in exasperation.

_There you go… motherfucker was dangling the bait and biting on it. Thanks, Uncle Aro._

"How did you know that the Chief had fought for his daughter?" I asked him cautiously.

"Yeah, how did you know? I only knew because I remember how Aunt Renee used to cry and tell Mom how the Chief was trying to take Bella away from her," James asked him cautiously.

_Thank you, James… Uncle Aro?_

We all looked at him expectantly. He gave us a stern look, "That was a slip on my part and I shouldn't have told you such a thing," he said coolly and sat down at his desk.

_Shit! Come on… we were so close!_

"Whoooaaaa! You can't just leave us hanging here. Spill, old man. How did you know all that about the Chief?" Emmett asked him in irritation.

That's when it hit me.

This is getting better and better.

"Because Charlie is his _client_, Em. I'm guessing Uncle Aro was the one taking care of the legal actions for Charlie, am I right?" I asked Uncle Aro with a smirk, earning a glare from him.

"But why didn't the Chief pursue this to the end? He's a persistent person. I can't imagine why this didn't happen..." I asked him curiously.

_Come on, fucker, bite on the bait before I shove it down your throat._

"That's none of your business, that's confidential. But just so you know. Chief Swan always had Isabella's well-being at heart. He loved his daughter so much that he even asked Renee to take her for a year or so at one point for Isabella's sake. " He said in a smug, know-it-all voice.

_Then shove it down your throat it is…_

I chanced a look at Em and saw his smirk; I gave him a minute nod.

"Really? How can he claim to really love his daughter yet send her away?" Em quipped.

Uncle Aro was one of those people who hated to be mocked or challenged. And the moment those things happened, his temper would flare and he would start spilling his guts out; 'client-confidentiality' be damned.

And that's precisely what happened.

_He was falling for it…_

_**Hook**__…_

"Boy! Chief Swan is one of the most protective fathers I have ever seen. The reason he asked Renee to keep Isabella for a year or so was because he didn't like how one of the boys started acting towards Isabella during her summer-school. Can you believe that? A stupid kid's acting out made Charlie ship his daughter to his wife in the middle of the summer, knowing that he might have to fight to get her back.

"And to top it all off, he went against _my_ advice and told Renee that it was safer for Isabella to be with her. He said that Renee 'wouldn't keep his daughter away from him'. And poor naïve Charlie told her everything, because he _loved_ her," he said venomously, still looking at Em.

The guys and I exchanged looks at these new revelations but didn't stop him.

He took a deep breath and continued his banter, "I mean, I told him… I said… Charlie, you don't need to tell her everything. You can send Isabella and just say that you are a bit busy and won't be able to take care of her properly… but no… he needed to be _honest_ with her…" he said in mock soppy voice, placing a hand over his heart.

_**Line**__…_

"So, don't you dare stand there and doubt Charlie's love for his daughter. The only reason Charlie didn't get his daughter back was because he refused my offer to help him _my way_." He finished his statement with a glare and sat down at his desk.

_**And sinker!**_

I stared at him for a few seconds before a smug smile appeared on my face.

He looked at me for a second before it dawned on him that he had revealed classified information. Even if this bit of information was obsolete by now. Still, it was clear that he was a dear friend of the Chief; and he wouldn't want him to know he'd been giving out information about his case.

_Oh, Old man, it's not what you think._

"You know, Guys… Maybe Uncle Aro's advice on telling the Chief about everything isn't bad after all. Especially when we tell him about how his _loyal_ friend has highly praised his determination and commitment about when he fought for his daughter and all…" I told the guys in a serious tone.

I chanced a look at Uncle Aro and saw that he was trying his best to appear nonchalant about our conversation.

"Yeah, well, the Chief and I don't see eye-to-eye any more… we aren't really on a talking terms. Especially after I…" he trailed off when what I was trying to do dawned on him.

_Yep, that's what I'm talking about._

My smirk grew, "After you offered to help him in _your own way?_" I quipped.

He shook his head and sighed, "Yeah, I'm getting what you're after now… but, Edward, this is _not_ guaranteed. Plus how would I know that you won't rat me out to your dad or to Charlie?" he said cautiously while narrowing his eyes at me.

"You can deny everything, but I would never kick the help." I assured him.

He eyed us for a second and sighed again.

"Okay then, if someone comes to get the baby any time before I contact you, you make sure to stall and don't hand them the baby. Keep JC out of their sight or tell them that this is someone else's baby or better yet, tell them that JC and his guardian will be available in a couple of days. Lie, kid. Lie because that's gonna be your only hope. And leave the rest to me," he stated firmly.

It was quiet in the car.

Too quiet.

"So, are we gonna discuss how we are going to dish the shit to Bella, or are we gonna stay silent like some freaked out pansies?" I snapped at the guys in the car.

"That's subtle, bro." Em quipped.

"Shut it, Em. I'm trying to figure out how to break the news to Bella without giving her a heart attack! Personally, I think James should be the one to do it since his mom was the one to screw the whole thing in the first place." I glared at James through the rear-view mirror.

"Fuck, man. That's not funny. I don't think I can face her. Maybe I should just play it safe and hop on a plane right now. School and all be damned," he groaned.

"I can't believe Aunt Tanya would be this… _irresponsible_ about something this serious." Jasper mused.

"I think you, Edward, should tell her. The guys and I will be there to back you up. And don't play around it, just tell her everything quickly. Don't give her time to react. Dish the shit quickly, like ripping a band-aid. That's our best approach." Jasper voiced quietly.

I nodded and stayed silent for a minute, contemplating on how to tell Bella all about this.

"Um… do you think I should tell Bella everything? Like why she went to Phoenix and stayed there for the last few years…" I asked the guys.

"Yeah, man. No secrets. I'm not keeping anything from her. You should have seen her in Phoenix whenever her father was mentioned in a conversation. Renee wasn't really subtle when talking about her ex and that affected Bella really bad. That's why Bella didn't tell him about JC in the first place." James jumped in.

I nodded at him. At least he's trying to help now. There was no use pointing fingers.

What's done is done.

We called the girls to set a meeting point at the mall and stayed silent for the rest of the ride.

We arrived a short time later at the mall and got out of the car. We stood there and looked at each other warily.

"Well, here goes nothing…" I said and made my way inside.

We were just coming into the food court when I slammed into someone who was practically running, causing me to almost lose my footing.

_Christ! Can't this stupid series of Unfortunate Events just end already!_

"Hey, asshole, watch where you're going" I snapped at the guy who wasn't lucky enough to stable himself. He was starting to get up on his feet when I recognized him. He looked pissed and about to cry.

_Perfect! Just the cherry to top the crap that is my day!_

"Well, if it isn't Mikey Mouse… Why are you running? You didn't like the tip someone left you and you're about to go cry to your mommy," I mocked using baby talk.

He straightened himself, "Fuck you, Cullen. I can't believe someone as sweet as Bella is hanging out with the likes of you. She should have been with me. I would have taken care of her and JC." He snapped at me, venom dripping from his voice.

_Fucker! You mention my Bella again and I'll make sure that you're 'hanging' from the tree in our back yard._

I looked over his shoulder and saw the girls sitting around one of the tables playing with JC. They still hadn't spotted us.

_Okay, fucker, you have 15 seconds to get out of my face… Going once…_

I narrowed my eyes at him, "It's normal for a _girlfriend _to hang out with her _boyfriend._ Bella has already made her choice. So, go find your own Barbie. And watch what you're _saying_ if you know what's good for you." I spoke gravely as I took a couple of steps towards him.

Emmett must have guessed my motives, because he grabbed my arm from behind, "Dude, chill. He's not worth it," he warned me quietly_._

I took a calming breath, "Now, run along, Mik_ella_ before I snap your neck." I warned him quietly.

"Oh, I know what I'm saying. And as soon as she realizes that I care about her enough not to engage in fights or have whores hanging around, she'll be running to me where I'll be waiting for her with open arms," he answered viciously, as he looked at my face and bandaged hand.

_Going Twice…_

I took another step towards him; and he took a step back before he continued.

"I know that you and your gang…" he glared at the guys and continued, "… have brain-washed her. But don't worry. Soon enough she'll see who truly cares about her. I'll be generous enough to take her even if she's a Cullen whore now." he retorted maliciously.

_And… Punched!_

Before I even realized it, I was swinging my arm. My _good _fist made contact with his face, making a God-awful sound when his nose cracked under my knuckles and spurted blood all over us. He yelped like a little girl and toppled to the ground. I pounced on him and managed to give him a nice purple eye matching mine in the morning and a fat lip before Emmett managed to drag me off of him. I fought against Emmett and James' grips wanting to kill the bastard.

"Fucker, get out of our faces before we complete the job Edward has started. Now, GO!" Jasper snapped at the asshole. He scrambled to his feet shooting me a dirty look and disappeared from my sight.

"Who the fuck was that asshole? Is he that Mike who Bella told me is supposedly such a nice person?" James asked in disgust.

I was still trying to catch my breath so I just nodded at him.

"Edward, promise me, next time, I'll be the one throwing punches at him," James glared in the direction in which Mike had disappeared.

"I really can't promise you that. Especially if he calls my Bella that word again," I told him quietly and made my way to my girl.

I'm sure my face was still flushed from my little action when I reached the girls' table. Because once my girl's sight landed on me, she stopped mid-laugh and got up to run to me and meet me half-way.

"Are you okay? What happened? What's that blood on your shirt and hand?" She bombarded me with questions as she checked my body for injuries.

I honestly had forgotten about Mike's blood on my hand and shirt, since at that time all I had in mind was getting to her.

"I'm fine, love, just had a quick _rendezvous_ with our friend Mickey Mouse," I assured her with a small smile as I wrapped her in my arms and breathed her in, then started leading us to the table.

"Edward! Not again! Mike is a sweet person; he was so polite when he waited on our table and made sure I had everything I needed to prepare a bottle for JC. He never said anything inappropriate." She chastised me as we took our seats at the table. I noticed that all the guys were talking to their girls.

But my girl continued her banter, "I mean even when he tried to ask me out on a date and I brushed him off, _politely of course_, he apologized for making me feel uncomfortable." She scowled at me and crossed her arms over her chest.

She looked angry right now, but that little bit of information about Mike asking her out made me snap, "He did what?!" I asked her incredulously.

"Dude… chill…" Jazz nudged me with his arm since he was sitting beside me.

"That fucker asked my girl out! Can you believe the nerve on him?" I fumed. The fucker was lucky he wasn't in front of me right now.

"Edward! Bella brushed him off, she told him that you guys are together now. There is no reason for you to be angry." Alice berated me and the other girls agreed with her.

"Seriously, girls, that guy is so fucked up! He was acting like an insane person! And if you are saying that he was talking to you calmly. Then he should be auditioning to be the next Joker and will be so getting that role!" James told the girls off.

"James, not you too!" Bella whined.

"Guys, you are exaggerating! I actually know that Mike is a sweet guy! He and I go way back since Dad used to send me to that Summer school during my summers at Forks." My Bella said smugly, "And he asked me if it was okay for him to visit me today to catch up, but I told him that Dad was away and that I was staying with you guys."

I looked at her; my head buzzing with a sense of Déjà vu and hovering over danger.

_Why the fuck does this sound familiar…_

I looked at the guys, who gave me curious looks and I shrugged.

"How come you never told me about him before?" James prompted her.

"Well, I'd actually forgotten about him. He was the sweetest boy at summer school, he used to take care of me, bring me sweets and snacks. He even used to protect me from other boys." Bella finished with the girls awwing and ooohing around us.

I looked at the guys. They had alarmed looks of recognition on their faces, "Umm… Bells, when was the last time you' saw him?" Jazz asked her quietly, earning a curious look from Alice beside him.

"Umm… I guess it was the last summer I was here in Forks. After that summer, Mom and Dad got into _that_ fight; and Mom hasn't allowed me to come back here since." Bella told him.

"I remember dad making a big deal about not liking that one kid because he was 'not allowing' me to make other friends," she quipped but stopped when she felt me stiffen beside her.

She looked at me worriedly, then shifted her look to the other guys who had the same rigid-looking postures.

"What's going on, Jazz?" Alice asked him worriedly, and then looked at Emmett, "Em, you are never this serious. What's wrong, you guys?"

"Emmett McCarty Cullen, you better fucking spill before I kick your ass?" Rose threatened Em, who gulped and looked at me.

"Edward! What the fuck is going on?" my Bella was reaching her limits apparently.

At that moment, Jazz interrupted the girls and proceeded to tell them what had just happened a few moments ago and then all the information Uncle Aro gave us. He made sure to keep the juicy bits of information about JC's adoption in the dark for now.

No one said anything till he was silent. The girls had shocked looks on their faces. And from the look on Bella's face, I was happy that JC was asleep soundly in his stroller, because she looked so pale and I could feel her body trembling a bit as she leaned against my body. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and held her close to my body; feeling her need for comfort.

"I mean, seriously Bells… don't you think that it's a bit unnerving that a boy of that age was 'not allowing' you to make any other friends?" James chastised her.

She gulped, "Oh, God. So much makes sense now…" she trailed off weakly and took a shaky breath.

"It just didn't make sense. Dad was a really great guy. I mean I know that he loved me and Mom so much. It didn't make sense that Dad would be doing anything to harm me. Mom told me that he was holding me back. And she told me that I was better off living in Phoenix, cause Dad didn't know how to take care of me…" she shook her head as she stared ahead, not really seeing anything.

"It's okay, love. Charlie did what he thought was best for you. I'd bet he would have done it again in a heartbeat if he sensed that you were in any kind of danger. I would have done the same…" I whispered the last part.

She jerked her head to look at me, "You wouldn't!" she snapped at me.

"Promise me, Edward. Promise me that you'll never let me go just because you think you're putting me in danger," she pleaded with me.

I smiled at her and pecked her on the forehead, but didn't say anything.

We were all silent for a minute before my dear sister who was in dire need of a 'tongue-plucking' interrupted us with the most dreaded question of the day, "So, what happened with the adoption? Did Uncle Aro help you out with it?" Alice asked us curiously.

The guys and I glared at her and she shrank back against Jazz who sighed and shook his head.

"Cuz, next time you sit next to your girl, make sure to unplug the batteries attached to her speech engine," James said irritably, earning a glare from Jazz.

_I hear ya, James._

"Hey! I just want to know what happened!" Alice buzzed excitedly in her seat.

"Maybe you'd better be safe and just go for a full engine shut off," Emmett groaned.

Rose smacked him at the back of his head, "She's your sister, idiot!" she snapped.

"But he's got a point; I mean we've been here, what? Like thirty minutes and…" I trailed off my bantering when I saw Bella glaring at me.

The guys and I gulped.

"Oh my God!" Alice shrieked.

Making us all jump in our seats.

"I was right! I told you, Jazz! I told you it's not gonna happen. If I had a crystal ball…" she said excitedly before I interrupted her.

"I would have known just the place to shove it!" I looked at Jazz whose face was tinted pink.

"Hey, she told me not to say anything to you, guys! Can you imagine the mental state we would be in when dealing with your Uncle Aro if we had known that it's not gonna work from the beginning?" Jazz defended.

"Yeah, Jazz is the only one of you guys who can hold a straight face." Alice stated calmly.

"Why did he refuse to help you? Does he want more money? I have money…" Bella's shaking voice was enough to shut all the guys up. Her face was so pale now and I could feel her trembling.

"Love, it's not money. Don't worry. Uncle Aro will be helping us. It's just that there was a bit of a complication that we didn't anticipate…" I tried to reassure, then she nodded at me and frowned.

"Is it because you're too young? Or maybe we should be married before we work on the adoption…" she blabbed.

"Nah! Bells. It's neither the age nor the marriage. It's just the technicality of not being able to adopt an _already_ adopted baby…" Em explained to her cleverly.

The guys and I shot him nasty looks and I heard Bella and the girls gasp around us.

I looked at Bella who was now so pale she looked like she was gonna pass out.

"Love, breathe. Everything will be fine. He's gonna help us… Love, listen to me… breathe…" I held my girl's trembling body as she started to hyperventilate.

"Fuck, Em. Now look what you have done." I snapped at him as I held my Bella to my body.

"How… what… who… but Tanya… Oh my God… are they taking him from me?" Bella stammered between breaths.

"Love, listen to me. Let me tell you what happened," I rubbed her back.

"Here, Bella, drink this. Calm down. Everything will be fine… I know." Alice gave her a reassuring bright smile.

I looked at her suspiciously as she handed the water to Bella to sip it slowly.

"Pixie, your sensing wand had better be right this time, or else I'll stick it up your boyfriend's ass!" I warned her in a low tone.

She looked at me quizzically so I elaborated.

"Well, you're my sister. And I'm still angry with him because he hasn't warned us, not that I believe in that shit…" I explained with a glare towards Jazz.

"Hey, I helped your dumb over-reacting ass back there, puff-head!" Jazz snapped at me.

"Guys, cool down so we can explain to the ladies what happened," Emmett told us.

"Shut it, man. You're the one who got us into this heap!" James snapped at him.

"Shut it, y' all!" Rose snapped at the guys.

"Yeah, pointing fingers won't help now! We need to know what happened so can mend it…" Vicky said in a worried voice as she looked at the sniffling Bella.

"Okay, let me start with this. Maybe Tanya was the one who adopted JC. James why don't you call your mom and ask her," Vicky told James as she rubbed soothing circles on Bella's back.

"Yeah, James, can you please call Tanya… Maybe it was her…" Bella said between hiccups.

James looked at Bella sadly and shook his head 'no', without saying a word; Bella's tears started leaking again.

"Guys, it's not that bad. Can I speak now? 'Cause it's already so much drama and you guys haven't heard half of it." Jazz said seriously.

And without hesitating, he started explaining what happened. He explained all the details and how we cornered Uncle Aro to help us with JC's situation.

By the end of his speech, Bella was silently sniffling against my chest.

"So, it's not all bad, you guys. Uncle Aro just asked us to make sure that we don't hand JC to the Social Workers. He's gonna do all he can to help us out," I told them while looking at Bella.

"And how are we gonna keep the Social Workers from taking JC? It's not like we can run away or give them fake IDs. 'Cause we're gonna be breaking the law and we don't need that right now," Bella told me with a frown.

I was about to say something when someone gasped beside me…

We all turned our heads to look at Alice who had this huge smile on her face.

"Dude, Mike might think like the Joker. But check out that smile, don't you think Heath Ledger is now turning in his grave?" Em said hesitantly.

"Dude, this is the second time you've disrespected my girlfriend, you won't do it again." Jazz said gravely, making Em shrink in his seat.

I wanted to say that I thought of that before, but I remained quiet for fear that I might lose my head.

"Sorry, man. Don't worry though. She's my sister, the shit comes naturally." Em shrugged it off.

"What is it, Alice? I know that look…" Rose said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Well, Bella just solved the whole thing. It's all gonna work out fine." Alice said in her know-it-all tone.

"Would you just fuckin' spill, _Hermione_!" James snapped at her.

She gave him a dirty look, while Jazz clipped him on the back of his head, "That's my girlfriend, bucket-head. So since she's about to save your ass, you better pay her some respect!" Jazz retorted.

"Well, isn't it obvious? Uncle Aro told you to keep those Social Workers from taking JC and that's precisely what we're gonna do. Only thing is… he didn't tell us how to do it. And I have an idea on how to achieve that, _without_ breaking the law… well, sort of."

We all looked at her puzzled, "Guys?" she said mischievously, "Who wants to play _house_?"

House?

The guys and I looked at the pixie like she had lost her mind…

The girls however, sans Bella, straightened their backs and their eyes started to twinkle.

"You mean…" Rose trailed off.

"But can we pull it off? What if your parents ruin it?" Vicky asked her worriedly.

"Alice, what are you talking about?" Bella asked them, still not catching up on to what they were talking about.

And neither were the guys, of course.

"No honey, not Alice. I'm Ashley… Ashley Green, nice to meet you." Alice extended her hand for Bella to shake.

A broad smile broke on Bella's face as she started catching up on what Alice was saying.

"Kristen Stewart, nice to meet you." My Bella replied back, shaking Alice's hand as she started giggling.

Playing House!

Realization hit me and apparently the guys as well.

We all smiled at each other, "But what about Mom and Dad?" Em asked quickly.

"Well, we can give them a call and see when they'll be arriving. Most likely the Social Workers will be coming tomorrow, since you said that the adoption said 'effective immediately'." Alice answered confidently.

"Do you think it will work? I mean, it's obvious that JC is the only baby in the house… that's a really close call." James asked nervously while rubbing his neck, "And don't forget that I have school tomorrow here in Port Angeles." he finished.

"Oh, I know what we can do," Rose said with a big smile.

We looked at her expectantly.

"Em, remember those cousins of mine who had like a farm full of kids. We can offer to baby sit those kids from hell for the next few days. That'll throw them off," Rose winked at Em who guffawed like an idiot.

"Oh boy, yeah I remember those." Em answered her shaking his head.

"Don't worry, guys, you can be our back up plan… not sure how it will work for now, we'll figure it out soon." Alice told James and Vicky who sat there pouting.

"Okay, here's how it's gonna be…" Alice sat down and leaned towards us to start the scheming.

***********

Another hour had passed and everything was planned; including clothes, relationships, kids and jobs.

Once all was planned, we went to the shops we needed to get our stuff from and headed home.

The ride home was a bit quiet. This time, Em and I took the jeep with Rose and Bella. While Jasper and Alice dropped James and Vicky off. They promised to come tomorrow in the evening to see how things were and to get their things they left at our house.

I sat in the back seat staring at Bella who sat there pondering quietly, "Are you okay, Love?" I asked her quietly.

"Do you think it will work out?" she asked me sadly, not looking at me.

I grabbed her chin and turned her head to look at me, "It will definitely work out. I promise. I'm not willing to let JC go, okay?" I told her firmly.

She smiled sadly at me and placed her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Why does everything with us have to be so complicated?" she asked me resignedly.

"Think of it this way. When we are old, we'll have good material to tell our grandchildren… and guess what… this time we won't be lying." I winked at her making her giggle softly.

"I'm just tired of worrying, you know. I just want everything to be over." She told me softly.

"I understand, love. I want the same thing," I spoke into her hair.

"You know, I owe you a big 'thank you'." She tilted her head to look at me.

"Oh, you are most welcome, but why do you owe me a 'thank you' exactly?" I asked her curiously.

"It was your stubbornness that alerted us to JC's adoption problem. Think about it. If you hadn't overreacted and offered to adopt JC yourself, we could have gotten a visit from those Social Workers. I could have lost JC just like this," she snapped her fingers for emphasis.

"You are most welcome, love." I kissed her on the forehead.

I looked at her for a second before a wide smug smile spread on my lips, "So… umm… what _exactly_ do you owe me?" I asked her jokingly, earning a slap on the arm.

"Mind out of the gutter, Cullen." She chastised half-heartedly, trying to conceal her own smile.

"Well, maybe we'll talk about it later." I offered with a wink.

********

When we reached our house it was already evening. Bella - as usual - went to take care of JC; leaving the rest of us to prepare the house to host the awaited Social Workers.

It was a school night, so we opted on finishing all those preparations and getting them out of the way.

Family pictures were taken down and play toys for Rose's second cousins were left around the entrance of the house and in the living room.

Alice and the guys had worked wonders to give off the image that this house had two families living in it.

Alice and Jasper were gonna be the married couple who shared this big house with me and Bella. While Rose and Em were the next door neighbors; living at the Swan's residence.

Scenarios were discussed after Bella came down to the kitchen to prepare dinner for all of the gang.

You could see that even when the conversation was light, everyone seemed a bit skittish.

We called Mom and she told us that they would be arriving tomorrow night. After the usual 'be safe' and 'make sure to lock up' we said goodbye.

We sat down in the living room to watch a movie. We all exchanged cautious looks and kept throwing Bella worried glances knowing she was the one who was about to lose her mind.

"Please, guys, stop looking at me like I'm gonna break. It's gonna work. I know it will…" she said that last bit in a shaky voice and looked at me with eyes brimming with tears.

"…Won't it?" she asked me and then collapsed against my chest sobbing loudly.

I wrapped her in my arms kept her there just letting her cry her eyes out. I knew this whole day was taking its toll on her. It was a miracle that she held on this long.

The guys stayed silent during the whole while. They kept their eyes on the movie; giving us privacy, but not leaving the room so Bella wouldn't feel like she was bothering them.

A few minutes later, Bella's sobbing quieted down but she kept her face buried in my chest. I continued to rub her back and plant kisses on her forehead.

"Are you okay, love? Do you want me to get you something?" I asked her softly.

She shook her head and raised her swollen eyes to me, giving me a weak smile, "No, I'm fine… it's just…" she trailed off not knowing what to say.

But there was no need, I knew exactly what she meant, "It's okay, love, we understand. We'll always be there for you… I'll always be there for you." I told her with my sincerest voice, because I meant it.

She smiled weakly, "Thank you, Edward. I love you so much. I know I couldn't have done any of this without you… without all of you, thank you, all," she said softly, smiling at the guys who waived her off.

She sighed and laid her head against my chest again squeezing me tighter to her and I didn't mind it one bit.

A few seconds later, I heard her breathing even out, "Okay, guys. That's my cue. We'll wake up bright and early to put the final touches and prepare the stuff we are taking to school with us before we leave…" I whispered to the guys not wanting to disturb Bella.

They nodded at me and made their way upstairs.

"Rose and I will take care of JC tonight. You take care of Bella for us." Alice offered softly, giving my shoulder a soft pat.

"Thank you, sis. I owe you big time." I smiled at her.

"You take care of her, Edward. That would be your payback. After all, she brought back my brother…" she smiled sweetly at me and planted a kiss on my cheek.

"She's right, you know," Rose agreed.

"Yeah…" Em and Jazz nodded.

"I know," I said softly as I stared at Bella whom I was carrying in my arms. I pressed her petit body to mine and made my way upstairs to my room.

Alice and Rose helped her change, since she was out cold then left us alone for the night.

That night Bella's sleep was restless; she thrashed around and cried more than once having nightmares all night.

I held her to me and comforted her as much as I could.

The next day went by in a haze. Alice and Rose helped Bella look presentable since she had a rough night. Classes went by agonizingly slow. I hadn't left Bella's side till it was time for her class with Jazz and Fuck-head Mike.

I left her at that class, reluctantly, throwing the battered Mike a nasty look for good measure.

We left school for the day and went to pick up JC from the day care. The guys proceeded home to start on their makeup and stuff. I mean even if the Social Workers didn't come today, it was better to be safe than sorry.

We took JC and sped home. I parked my car and got out. We could hear kids playing and yelling from inside.

Bella looked at me and smiled widely as we made our way inside.

"It's about time you arrived you guys, come on, there isn't much time." Alice came in her costume and led us both upstairs.

I took a shower and put my outfit on. I didn't need much make up; just some light touches to cover what was left of the bluish bruise near my eye. My stubble had grown, giving me a more grown up look I needed.

I knocked at the door to Bella's room, "Guys, are you ready?" I asked them.

"Yeah, we just need a minute. You, go on, move the cars and install the ear piece." Alice's muffled voice came through the door.

Finally, everything was set.

"Brady Bunch, we've got a foreign car parked outside. Places, everyone. Over and out." Emmett's hushed voice came through the earpiece we had in our ears.

The players are waiting in their designated places waiting for that much anticipated knock at the door.

_Knock knock…_

Yep, much like this one…

_Well, here goes nothing._

**End Chapter Eighteen**

**AN: Who wants to play house, my lovelies ;) please let me know what you think… was it worth the wait? I hope that you had caught all the little hints I left you along this chapter… press the green button to let me know if you want to see what's gonna happen in the upcoming "Playing House" chapter ;)**

**Luv ya!**


	22. Chapter 19

**Summa****ry**: Her parents' death had left her with her new born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's; how is she going to cope, espclly, with the green-eyed jerk who already thinks so low of her EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessive-ward. Razzle Dazzle Nominee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**A****/N: Hey, guys! Today, March 13****th**** marks YDKA's first birthday! Can you believe it's already been a year! Crazy right? And this chapter is my present to you all, (I hope it's worth calling a present) because, this chapter reveals who adopted JC. *gasps*, yep people ;) you'll find out who adopted him right now. Also, we'll see a couple of references to the movie 'Sweeney Todd' and the character of Mrs. Lovett… if you haven't seen that movie, you're seriously missing out on a lot! Please enjoy and check out the A/N at the end please…**

**To all of you my amazing readers, I name…**

Breath-of-twilight, alwayswatchingtv, luv4edwardcullen, twilightmom1, RoseArcadia, njdevil30718, lalibare, fanficreader83, alsotwilightandedwardfan, AngelsLuvMe, AmberrrJune, reesessweetie, trishchar, Treya, ZiggaZigAhh, xneverthinkx, mommyof3boys, Giaah, caligyrl4cullen, Samantha1175, rayekay, xxGreenEyedGoddessxx, Sateenkaarie, maggiejoma, cvds, CatMasters, BoookWoorm35, Soccer11, ladysharkey1, babylopez2008, TexasTwilight77, canadiantwilight, coffeeluva debs, maybebaby23, Epatz, snv3, babygirl41096, Allieamyxxx, aerobee82, ju007, mommyamybee, mommytwilight, DodgerMcClure, dontrun, jewels64, beignet, edwardcullenfanforlife, 3diamonds, NATwilight, Meadowgirl552, Litany Gone, lovingit3, Kimmie39, MzCoqueta, EdwardsBrunette2, sheliah_mcharghbonds, Descartes1, Mels78, IsabellaMarie19, may-bell-rose, BellaAshes, ATWTFanForever, sarah blackstock, since1918, Raven Jadewolfe, Nicci06, April, PennyLaneMasenCullen1, somebody2love, jktwi, Twilightie, yankeerose, ecsc, siochain is solas, CitizenCullen25, Kefe, RingTheBella, queenfrizz30, Emmii, gossip-bangkok, andreabl2, IGOTEAMEDWARD, QuueenElizabeth, flyrbrd, amwine, radiate689, MyriadProBold, Humble4, jackspergirl, SharkGurl, SweetHart2BME, wackynicolecsu, deleepowman, BellaCullenPR, Smile-J, .19, lionandthelamb24, fallenangel396, acw1, soccershadow3, cvaughn82, pippyXYZ, DazzledbyEdwardCullen, 71star, seekerharmoney, l lynn, tahliaa., nermalasu, bliitz, ForeverM, Nez93, naknakattack, MyNameisLOVE, AliceCullenJasperHail, emroseliz, Tori Scanga, iloverobpattinson, anna42hmr, EmraePenne, Xx-xXAngelxOfxDeathXx-xX, peacewithinchaos, augustine4, BookLuver16, jacobzwyfe, KRYork, Hope4more, luv4jake, mesmerizeme, amgrant3, bnjwl, Ashiana, Dannygirl90, Bella Marie Cullen 213, Dannygirl90, Jely-bean, Be-More-Specific, BehindTheseTopazEyes, Lillie Cullen, sharon89, aliciataz, gothgirl1245, Forsaken1Shadow, Bella Quinn, AnUnbrokenHorse aka RushtonElf, twilightgirl80, madehoney, mhawkins9802, absmw1618, Courtney37, betsmecullen, Kristina Ferrara, angel-cordy, Angelwells, aimeenew, clancy119, Sunshine72 and Jazmin Torres

**You are all AMAZING! ****With your continuous support this story has become what it is now :) I really hope that I haven't missed any of your names ;)**

**Special shout out** to my awesome friend **Breath-of-twilight (Kelli)** for **betaing** my chapter. Luv ya, bb! Check out her profile for **April-Fool's Countdown** and her stories in my favorites' list.

Also, huge kisses and big hug goes to the sweetest **Kefe** for doing the **pre-reading **of this chapter, you did awesome job bb, I really can't thank you enough! Please check out her profile for her latest story **A Tangled Web **and her story **Love is Hell** just something you can't get enough of.

Shout outs to the following wonderful stories…

"**Like a Moth to A Flame"**by **CitizenCullen25**, please don't leave us hanging, bb and welcome back :)

Stories that are awesome and plain AMAZING that I'm betaing at the moment… **"Freeze Frames" **by **Jewels64 **(Just had her birthday a few days ago, happy belated birthday wishes to you bb)**,** **"Homecoming" **and **"Prodigal Returns" **by **dontrun, "If You Just Realize" **by **Mrs. EdwardxoxoxoCullen **and **"Shattered"**by **Tainted Grace **please check them out!

**Okay!**** Now without further ado, here it is…**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter ****Nineteen**

"Sex-on-legs is engaged in the battle, I'm going in." My stupid oaf of a brother's hushed voice came through the ear piece.

"Meat-Head, stop telling us what's going on, we can hear your _sex-on-legs_ talking and we _need_ to hear what she's saying. So, SHUT IT!" Jasper seethed before any of us could say a word.

"Sheesh, Battle-Head, I'm shutting up! Don't get your knickers in a twist." Em retorted.

At this point, you could hear laughter coming from all the guys except Rose, who was still having a conversation with one of the Social workers.

It was only moments ago that Rose had answered the door at Charlie's house, disguised as Mrs. Lutz; and was introduced to the two Social workers, Demetri Vecci and Heidi Alexis. Jasper had managed to purchase a few trophies and 'thank you' certificates that held Em's name as 'Lutz', and put them to display at the Swan's Hall to catch attention once the door was opened.

According to General Jasper, this will give more authenticity to the Lutz family. Thus, it's doubtful that someone would suspect that it's a set up.

I was hunching down behind the bushes, between the two houses, awaiting Jazz's instruction to 'engage'.

"Are you sure you have the right address, Mr. Vecci? I mean, maybe this is the old address, because we have been here since— oh hey, Honey." Rose stopped mid-sentence to greet her 'husband'.

"Baby, we're gonna be late to the Pattinsons'! Where are the kids?" Em asked as he reached Rose.

"Umm, the kids are already at the Pattinsons'. Uh… Dear, these people are with Social Services and they are looking for a Mr. … _Swan, _is it? Yeah, Mr. Swan's daughter… umm… sorry, what's her name again?" Rose feigned ignorance.

"Her name is Isabella Swan. Good evening, Mr. Lutz. I'm Agent Demetri Vecci and this is Agent Heidi Alexis. We are with Social Services and we are looking for a Ms. Swan. We were just telling your wife that Ms. Swan was supposed to be staying with her father, Mr. Swan… I think first name is _Charles,_ um… let me see here…" Demetri halted his verbal vomit; and we could hear the distinct sound of paper shuffling.

"Ah, yes. Mr. _Charlie_ Swan," Demetri said coolly.

"Ah… Demetri, is it? I need you to stop staring at my wife and start addressing me. I need to see some ID, please?" Em asked him firmly, but still in a polite tone.

Everyone sniggered softly at this. I could imagine the look on this guy's face. Em could be quite intimidating when he wanted to be. But it looks like Em was right, because we could hear the female Social worker berating her colleague.

"I just showed it to your Mrs. and--" Demetri the _Dimwit _huffed but was cut off by his colleague.

"Sorry, Mr. Lutz, I don't know what's gotten into Demetri this evening," she apologized to Em.

_A Libido overdose is what's gotten into Dimwit._

"Um… there you go, Mr. Lutz, here is my ID. I'm Heidi Alexis… _Miss_ Heidi Alexis," she purred.

_And Ms. Horny Alexis got the excess off of Dimwit's overdose._

_Hmm… Horny? and Dimwit? Horny Dimwit!_

_A match made in heaven._

Rose huffed in annoyance at the exchange in front of her.

"Here you go, Sir," Dimwit said with a huff as he, apparently, flashed his ID in Em's face.

We all laughed at this.

_Jasper really is the General when it c__omes to the human psych._

He told each one of us to ask the Social workers for their IDs and comment on their late visit. He said that if we came on strong that it would mostly divert their attention from asking to see our IDs. I mean, even though we have the fake IDs ready, still_… better to be safe than sorry._

"General Jasper, you are so getting the 'war spoils' this evening," Alice's voice sang into the ear piece.

A collective 'EW' came from Bella, Rose and I. Along with a groan from Jazz.

"Ali, baby. Not now… I need to concentrate." Jazz said in a strained voice.

I thanked God that Rose's voice was soft. Em, however, was silent.

Em? _Silent_?

_That shit can't be good…_

"Mr. Lutz, are you okay? You look like you're gonna throw up," Dimwit' said awkwardly.

Em was silent for a few more moments and I held my breath.

"Honey, are you okay?" Rose's voice was laced with real concern.

"I think it's the chicken pie Mrs. Rathbone baked us at lunch today. Maybe that _General J_ chicken brand she got on discount is just as _tacky_ as it sounds. Honey, would you please tell her: NO CHEAP GENERAL J SHIT anymore!" Em all but bellowed at Rose.

_Good save, Em._

Bella and I sniggered.

"I swear that pie was an upgrade derived from Mrs. Lovett's pie shop." Em finished, regaining some of his composure.

_I guess we're changing Alice's war-name from Pixie to Sweeney Todd's 'Mrs. Lovett'. I just hope __that she runs out of pies by the time we visit._

I mentally chuckled at the thought.

"Oops. Sorry, guys," Alice apologized quietly, while Jazz cleared his throat, "Meat-head, if you don't shut up about it, I'll make sure to shove some of that pie up your ASS!" Jazz seethed.

"Sorry, Honey. I'll make sure to tell her." Rosetold Em softly.

"Okay, now, back to business. Those IDs seem fine. But isn't it past your working hours? I hope you're getting paid for those extra shifts you're putting in…" Em told him casually.

We heard Dimwit grumbling something in the background.

"Okay, so you were asking about Mr. Swan. Well, this is Forks; it's a small town, so the name has passed by me when we bought the house. I believe Mr. Swan was the guy who lived in this house; or at least that's what the realtor told me. I think he was a police officer or something like that. Anyway, as you can see The Lutz family owns the place right now," Em stated.

_Police officer__, huh? Charlie would have loved that… NOT!_

"But this is supposed to be his house. At least that's what the records state right here," Dimwit said, and we heard the sounds of paper shuffling again.

"Em, I need you to plant doubt in his mind that those records he keeps flaunting in our faces were not updated… be the _anal citizen._" Jazz's directions came through the ear piece.

"I'm sure you're mistaken, _Demetri_. Or maybe those are old records that have _not_ been updated. Honestly, people! What do those public workers do all day? They do nothing to deserve the dime we the tax-payers put out as their salaries!" Em reprimanded loudly.

"But, Mr. Lutz--" Dimwit was cut off with the second verse of Em's banter.

"Seriously, man! I mean, if the records weren't updated that Mr. and Mrs. Lutz now live in this house, I don't know what else the public workers have missed to update. What? Is it because we are from a small town? We have been living here for a few months now!" Em finished with a huff.

"Anyway, what's up with Officer Swan or rather his daughter?" Em asked dismissively.

"Well, Sir, according to those papers, she's _Chief_ Swan's – yes, he's a Chief – seventeen year old daughter who has the custody of her step baby brother. And we are here to collect the baby who is now being adopted by a new family, since his birth parents are dead and no other immediate family has claimed his custody," Dimwit informed Em politely.

"Are you sure he's her baby brother? I mean, maybe it's the poor girl's mistake on one 'busy' summer vacation," Em put in crudely.

"That's very unlikely, Mr. Lutz. We don't have all the details, though. We don't even know who adopted the kid. We are here simply to _collect_ the baby, a James Carter Swan, and deliver him to Head Quarters," Dimwit stated with pride.

_That would be, 'One baby' with a side dish of 'Dimwit's balls' to go, please._

"Hey, the baby is not a meat shipment! Show some respect! You say the word 'deliver' one more time; and I'll make sure that it's your balls that are being 'delivered' to Head Quarters!" Rose snapped at him.

_Hmm… I see Rose liked the side dish._

_Bon appétit, Rose._

"Sorry, Ma'am, I didn't mean to offend. So, Mr. Lutz, do you know the whereabouts of Chief Swan? Or, at least, do you know where we could find his daughter?" Dimwit asked again.

"Um… Demetri, what about the neighbors? We could try them. The records say that Ms. Swan could be staying with them. So, maybe she's staying with them temporarily," Horny advised her colleague quietly.

"Well, we are the Pattinsons' neighbors; and they haven't gotten any visitors by the name Swan! Right, Honey?" Em asked Rose.

"One second, please," Dimwit said before Rose could confirm.

Horny Dimwit stayed quiet for a couple of moments, checking their _records_, from the sounds of paper shuffling. Then we heard them both discussing the street name and the House numbers and discussing things together quietly.

"Um… that's not what the records say…" Horny said reluctantly.

"What do you mean _that's not what the records say_?" Rose asked venomously.

"It says here that the 'Cullens' are the neighbors," Horny answered.

"Oh, yeah? So, now you're gonna tell me that the Pattinsons, who have been living here since _before_ we got here, are not who they claim to be?" Em asked him incredulously.

"Agents, are you sure those records are up-to-date?" Em asked exasperatedly.

"Well… they should. It says here, um… that the 'Cullens' are Mr. Swan's neighbors…" Heidi said awkwardly.

"Well, I'm not that Swan guy, am I?" Em snapped at him.

"Em, go for the kill!" Jazz's voice urged through the ear piece.

"You know what? We have been invited to dinner at the Pattinsons this evening. Not sure if Robert is there yet, but I'm sure Kristen is there now entertaining the Rathbones. I don't think they'd mind having a couple of guests for a drink… What do you say? I guess this will eliminate any doubts, wouldn't it?" Em quipped.

"Uh… Not sure we can do that, Mr. Lutz. I mean, we are on official business and all… I think we should maybe go check the other houses in the area or something…" Dimwit stuttered a bit.

"Dude, don't lose them," Jazz warned.

"Well, you were going to go check on them anyway. Don't you think it would be grand if you have an invitation that will allow you to inspect for yourself that you have the wrong address? Come on," Em said in an annoyed tone.

"Em, don't push so hard, we don't want them running," Jazz cautioned.

"Demetri, come on. We need to check on that place anyway. And after this long drive here, I can't wait to just sit down in a place other than a car for a change," Horny whined.

"Well, thanks, Mr. Lutz. We'd love to come. Although, I'm not sure about the drinks…" Dimwit was cut off by Em's laugh.

"Great, let's go," Em told them.

"I'll just grab our coats, Honey." Rose said.

"Guys, we are moving to second location. Those two rookies are so gullible. And, Alice, this Heidi bitch is a walking-fashion-disaster, brace yourself," Rose giggled.

"Alice, prepare the kids. Edward, get in your dad's car; your E.T.A. is in 10 minutes. Bella, you need to come downstairs now! You are supposed to be our host!" Jazz barked out instructions.

I waited till Em and the guys passed the place where I was crouched and sprinted into my dad's car back in the woods behind our home. I opened the car and turned the ignition on. Since the car was a bit further away from the transmitting parameter, I only caught snippets of the conversations that went on after Bella opened the door.

By the time it was my cue, I was almost biting my fingers off with anxiety.

Again, conversations began floating to me through the ear piece.

"Edward, can you hear me?" Ali's voice came.

"Yes, Mrs. Lovett, how are things?" I chuckled.

"HA! Very funny, Penny-head," Ali snapped at me.

"Hey, that's reserved for Bella only!" I snapped back.

"Anyway, Edward, listen, I'm upstairs checking on the kids. Jazz told me that since you were out of range, you need to get heads up on the um… _situation_ at hand…" Alice said cautiously.

_Shit, this can't be good._

"What situation, Ali?" I asked, slowly pulling into a park in front of the house.

"Uh… it's nothing major, it's just that my makeup had worked its wonders a bit more than intended. This Demetri guy has showed a liking to Bella; he can't take his eyes off her; and he's staring at her like she's the only surviving female on the planet. I guess he thinks she's the lonely wife of a constantly absent Doctor. And now Bella is getting _really_ uncomfortable. She almost called Jazz by his real name, but Jazz saved the day, as usual. Better come quick, brother. Come and save your damsel in distress," Alice urged me.

I growled as I put the car in park.

"Oh and, Edward? Jazz says, and I quote: 'you need to control your temper'," Alice warned me.

"Mrs. Lovett, I'm with a bad hand. If I want to get rid of the guy, I wouldn't wring his neck, or kick his ass… I'd simply serve him one of your pies," I fumed as I got out and locked the car.

"Hey, that's not funny anymore!" Ali snapped at me, while I heard Rose and Em chuckle.

I mean, I know Bella is already a gorgeous looking girl. I wonder what makeup Alice had used on her. She's supposed to look older and a bit different than the regular description of Bella.

I sprinted up the front steps and unlocked the door with my keys.

Taking a deep breath, I announced my arrival, "Honey! I'm home!"

_To pluck Dimwit's eyes out_.

_Maybe I__'d use the same tweezers I was gonna use on Pixie._

I walked in slowly, meeting Alice who was coming down the stairs and walking into the hall where I hung my jacket and left my keys.

"Easy, brother, you look like you were ending lives instead of saving them," she told me under her breath.

"That would be your husband's job, Mrs. Lovett," I seethed.

I heard Jazz clear his throat.

"Edward, calm down," Alice warned.

I nodded while taking a calming breath.

"Hey, Rob, how was work? Long day?" Alice started the conversation loudly as she entered the living room before me.

"Longer than intended, Ashley. Sorry for being late, guys. I trust my dear wife has seen to your needs," I said with a polite smile, surveying the faces in front of me and hearing their greetings.

"Dude, you sound like Dad," Em's low voice came out with a chuckle into the ear piece. I threw him a nasty glare.

"Honey, you're home," Bella said in a relieved tone as she threw herself into my arms; hugging me tightly before I could even look at her.

I felt her trembling a bit. "Thank God you're here. That guy is a creep," she whispered into my ear and kept her arms tight around me.

I squeezed her tightly. "Hello, love," I said in a soft voice that was loud enough for our guests to hear.

Before I even looked at her, I leaned back a bit and crashed my lips to hers. I kissed her with fervor for a full minute.

When air was a dire need for the both of us, I let her down on her feet slowly, but kept my arms wrapped tight around her. I attached my forehead to hers as I breathed her in with my eyes still closed.

I heard a throat being cleared behind me. I turned my head and spotted the 'guests'.

Dimwit didn't look like he was much older than me. He had black hair that was smeared with enough gel to drown Forks. He had dull blue eyes, and was wearing a gray suit that looked a couple of sizes bigger than him. As if trying to look like he had lots of mussels on him. A smug smile was plastered on his face while still trying to stare a hole through me to look at my Bella.

As for Horny, she had the average hookers' look, similar to the ones I had seen back in L.A. this last summer. Hair done in so many shades of reds, yellows and browns; you'd think Forks' autumn had extracted its colors from it. Her nails were painted bright red, the same shade as her lip gloss. Her eyes appeared gray, but with all the eye makeup she was wearing, you couldn't be quite sure. Her attire on the other hand was the opposite of what Dimwit was wearing. She was wearing a suit, of course, but the suit was too tight and her shirt was white and transparent, so you could see her bra!

_I never thought I'd say this ever, but..._

_Thank you, God, for the cold that kept that Jacket on her._

"Love, who are our guests?" I asked her, while locking eyes with the stupid prick who was trying to stake a claim on my Bella.

Em cut in and did the introductions, "Rob, these _nice_ people are with Social Services. They have it in their records that a 'Cullen' family lives here; and that those 'Cullens' are taking care of a girl called Isabella Swan or some shit," Em quipped.

"Well, let me introduce myself properly. I'm Dr. Robert Pattinson. I'm a surgeon at Fork's Hospital. Welcome to my humble home. I trust my wife has seen to your needs," I said politely and waited for them to introduce themselves properly.

"Yes, Dr. Pattinson. Your wife was quite… _accommodating_," Dimwit said with a smirk, trying to look at Bella who was almost hiding behind me. I narrowed my eyes at him.

_Accommodating?_

_Like how your ass will be accommodating my foot?_

"I am Demetri Vecci, by the way. And this is my colleague Heidi Alexis. It's my pleasure to meet you, Doctor," he said in a cool voice.

_Yes, it's your pleasure._

"What happened to your hand?" he asked as he gestured to my wrapped up hand before I could snap at his 'accommodating' remark.

"A small accident at work…" I answered him from between clenched teeth.

"Dude, chill. Leave it," Jazz's command came through the ear piece.

"But doesn't that hinder your work?" he asked me skeptically.

I shook Horny's hand first with a curt nod and then shook his. I squeezed his hand hard enough to make his eyes bulge and make him grunt, "Don't worry, my other hand works just fine." I smirked at him.

"So, can I ask what business do the Social Services require of me? And at this _late_ hour, may I add? Can I see your IDs, please?" I asked as curtly as I could, releasing his hand.

They sighed and mumbled something about 'pinning their IDs to their foreheads'.

I squinted for a few moments at both IDs and then shifted my gaze between the IDs and the workers, as if comparing their faces to the photos.

"I assure you, it's us, Mr. Pattinson," Horny purred at me.

_It's a wonder my allergies aren't acting up with all the purring Horny has been doing._

"So? Isn't it a bit late for your working hours?" I emphasized as I handed them their IDs back. I could see that the irritation of being asked the same questions over and over again was already taking a toll on Dimwit.

"Yes, Dr. Pattinson. We were supposed to arrive earlier than this, but _someone_ managed to get a flat and couldn't fix it without help. Honestly, what would you say to that Dr. Pattinson?" Horny glared at Dimwit.

_I'd say: God bless the worker who crafted the nail that punctured your tire._

"Honey, since Mr. Vecci and Miss Alexis have travelled a long way, I have invited them to dinner," Bella said in a sweet voice as she came up from behind me.

I left the couple of glaring misfits and pulled my angel a few steps back away from them.

"That's fine, love. Is everything ready or do you…?" I trailed off as I took in her appearance for the first time tonight.

Her hair was pulled up into a missy-bun style. Her chocolate brown eyes were covered with green lenses; they were lined with thick black eyeliner and had some light grey eye-shadow on them. She looked like a more mature version of herself. As for her attire; she was wearing a black pencil-striped knee-high skirt and a black light-silk shirt that barely covered her midriff. The shirt's top three buttons were opened exposing an ample amount of chest and the tops of her breasts. And wrapping her feet was a pair of fuck-me-pumps.

No wonder the fucker couldn't keep his eyes off her.

She was supposed to be an English teacher.

_A sexy teacher…_

_A sexy teacher… gone Naughty._

Visions of Bella sprawled out on a desk with me pumping into her filled my brain.

I turned my face slowly to glare at Alice who was peeking at me from behind Jazz.

"I needed to make sure that the guy or guys were staring at something else other than her face, just in case they had pictures…" Alice mumbled softly from her hiding place behind Jazz.

I pulled Bella into my embrace again, hoping to disguise my current 'problem' and hid my face in her hair. Then I leaned towards her ear, "You look so fucking gorgeous, love," I groaned softly.

_I guess all the excess libido from Horny Dimwit was rubbing off on me now._

To distract the guests, Alice turned and expertly started making small talk about fashion with Horny, while Em managed acting all impressed with the fucker's 'physique'.

The Problem was that all this wasn't helping the tent that was forming in my scrub pants.

"Edward, chill, you look flushed…" Jazz warned knowingly from the other side of the room. I nodded minutely at him.

Bella turned a bit to look at me after she heard Jazz's voice in the ear piece. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself, but they didn't help either. Because now my lungs were filled with Bella's scent. I moaned softly.

"Edward, you fucking idiot! If you don't get your libido in check, I'll cut off your balls and hang them around Horny-Pussy's neck. Then I'll tell that ogle-eye creep that Bella is unhappy with you because you can't 'perform'," Rose's voice seethed through the ear piece.

That took care of my problem, right away.

_And the C__ock-Block Award goes to…_

I looked around for Rose and found her standing at the door leading to the living room, glaring at me unnoticed by the guests.

Bella giggled and hid her face in the crook of my neck.

"Fuck you, Rose!" I said softly as Bella cowered into my arms.

"Uhhhhhmmmmm…" Em glared at me as he cleared his throat.

I looked at him nonchalantly.

"Are you okay, Mr. Lutz?" Dimwit asked.

"Uh… yeah. It's just it felt like something was stuck in my throat…" Em trailed off still glaring at me and cleared his throat one last time.

"That would be your balls shoved down your throat, meat-head, if you don't stop this nonsense and concentrate back on your conversation with the prick you're talking to," Jazz answered in a quick, composed low voice.

"Love, how are you feeling?" I asked her, making sure Horny Dimwit heard me.

"I didn't know you were feeling under the weather, Mrs. Pattinson. You look _fine_ to me." Dimwit winked at her.

_No, he did not just do that!_

"Well, Mr. Vecci, of course she looks amazing. And there is nothing wrong with her. She's pregnant. And if you look at her the wrong way again, you'll get to know a couple of extra things…" I seethed.

"Edward, calm down," Jazz instructed, but I just didn't give a damn any more.

I approached him and stared him down in the eye.

"You'll know exactly how I hurt my hand. And, you'll know how what the term 'under the weather' feels like. Do we understand each other?" I snapped as I gripped him by the collar.

He gulped and nodded mutely.

"Edward, you have leverage now, back off a bit," Jazz told me.

"Good. Now, if my wife wasn't kind enough to offer you dinner, I'd personally have kicked your ass out the door and alerted your superiors to your actions. But I'll let it go this time." I let go of him, still fuming.

He adjusted his shirt and apologized profusely. But I didn't give a shit about him now.

_We have leverage now._

"Honey, I'm sure our guests are ready for their meal, since I'm sure they have lots of business on their hands," I said to Bella while still glaring at the misfit.

I looked at Bella, who nodded at me and left to help Rose set up, while I sat with Jazz and took calming breaths.

"You did well, Edward. Just please try to keep that temper of yours in check during dinner," Jazz said in a low voice.

"I'll try, but I won't promise," I said as I gave Dimwit a withering look.

"I can't believe that I'm actually allowing that asshole to be seated at the same dinner table that's seating my wife," I said resentfully.

"She's not your WIFE!" Rose and Jazz's voices hissed softly through the ear piece.

"YET!" I spat a bit loudly, earning confused looks from Horny Dimwit and warning glares from Alice and Em.

I heard Bella giggle softly, "Yet…" she added softly.

A shit-eating grin spread across my face.

"Is everything okay, Dr. Pattison?" Dimwit asked me warily.

_Yes, Dimwit, thank you for asking._

"Well, we had a bet about the play-offs and he won, I owe him money," Jazz lied smoothly and the conversations continued.

A few moments later, Rose and Bella called on all of us for dinner. We filed into the dining room, and I made sure that Dimwit was seated the furthest from where Bella and I were seated.

We started eating and I brought out beers for our guests. Em got them for us while we were in Port Angeles. He looked older than us, so it was no problem for him.

Em sat beside the fucker and made sure that he didn't run out of beer. And Alice did the same to Horny.

Apparently, Horny Dimwit _really_ didn't have a clue of who adopted JC. They said that they were only 'collecting' the baby. I almost pounced on him when he used that word.

Bella's delicious food was a waste on these misfits. The guys ate well. I, on the other hand, had a great time. Bella fed me most of my food and it was the most delicious thing ever. _And I'm not talking about food._

"Did you notice that our 'irregular' dinners are becoming a regular thing to be looking forward to?" I asked Bella, trying to take her mind off all this craziness a bit.

She chuckled softly, "Yeah, it's like our thing or something. Although, I hope this will be over soon," she whispered to me with worry clouding her face.

I pecked her lips softly, "don't worry, love. It will all be over soon." I tried to reassure her.

The kids made regular visits to have one of the girls take them to the bathroom or help them with their dinner.

Bella took every opportunity she could get to go and check on JC.

Em and Jazz kept throwing jokes about public records and how they weren't even updated since the civil war. Jazz, then proceeded to tell the fucker this made up story about a brave soldier who fought in that war and had a similar name to Dimwit's.

We all scoffed quietly when we saw him puff his chest in pride.

By 8 pm, the Swan name was wiped out from any conversation. And JC's adoption case was a mystery, buried deep in the abyss of their tiny minds.

I chanced a look at my angel and found that she was smiling to herself, while watching the exchange between the guys and the idiots.

"Um… Honey, I think it's time to get the kids to bed," Rose told Em.

"AW! You need to leave, Nikki?" Horny whined at Nikki.

_What the hell?! Does she think this is a picnic or something?!_

"Well, kids have stayed late enough." Rose glared at the air-head who huffed.

"Um… Heidi, it's time for us to leave, as well. We have taken up so much of these fine people's time," Dimwit slurred as he got up from his chair, swaying a bit.

"Can anyone tell me where the toilet is?" he asked.

"I'll lead you. This way, Mr. Vecci. If you'd like to use the toilet, Ms. Alexis, please follow us." Em said as he ushered Horny Dimwit out of the room.

Jazz stood slowly from his seat. "And this, ladies and gents, is how the job is done…" Jazz said with a smirk and took a bow.

The girls squealed and threw themselves on him kissing the hell out of him.

"Hey, I helped, you know," I pouted like a two year old.

"How did you help?" Rose snapped at me.

_C__ock-Block winner announces her presence._

"By not beating the crap out of Dimwit even when I had the chance," I snapped back at her.

"Oh, you helped alright…" Bella droned and stood on her toes to kiss the living lights out of me.

"Kids, behave! Remember those idiots are still--" Jazz was cut off when we saw from the window the Chief's cruiser passing by our house to pull up in his driveway.

"SHIT!" We all blurted.

"Oh my God, what are we going to do?" Bella freaked.

"Damage control!" Jazz said quickly.

"Em, we need those fuckers out of here ASAP. Chief is here." Just as Jazz finished his sentence, Mom and Dad's car pulled into our garage.

"FUCK!" We all cried.

"Em! Your Mom and Dad are here too. Move it!" Jazz bellowed in a deafening tone.

The next moment, we all filed into the Hall, where the misfits were saying their goodbyes. I gave them their bags and files and shook their hands.

"We would like to apologize for any inconvenience we have caused you this evening. We'll make sure to tell those idiots to update those records," Dimwit said with a huff as he swayed to the door.

"Yes, yes. That would be lovely, if you'd just--" I cut myself off when I opened the door and came face to face with Chief Swan.

The Hall went dead-silent as we all stared wide-eyed at him. Chief Swan stood on our doorstep in his full uniform – including the gun may I add – surveying each of our faces and then narrowed his eyes when his gaze found me.

I gulped audibly.

"Worry not, my friends. I'll see what the friendly Officer needs…" Dimwit slurred out as he made his way to stand in front of the Chief, who was now scrutinizing the misfit like he was a fly in his salad dish.

Apparently, in his drunken state, Dimwit failed to notice the big Chief's badge that was reflecting all the lights in the Hall.

"Excuse me?" The Chief asked in a grave deep voice narrowing his eyes at the guy.

At this, Dimwit took a step back.

"Don't worry, Demetri, we'll…" Jazz started but stopped abruptly when Charlie's glare fell on him.

"Hey, don't worry, Jackson. I know how to handle the Officer," Dipshit insisted as he waived his hand at Jazz dismissively.

_Shit!_

The Chief tilted his head as he tried to comprehend what that misfit just said. I looked at Bella and she looked like she was gonna pass out.

"Oh my God, Edward! He's gonna know…" Bella whispered in a trembling voice.. I shushed her softly and held her close to me.

"I'm Agent Demetri Vecci from Social Services and this is my colleague Agent Heidi Alex. Can we help you, Officer?" Dimwit asked the Charlie.

I heard Em snort softly when he heard the stupid Dimwit call Charlie 'Officer'.

"It's Alexis! Not Alex," Horny whined.

I saw my mom and dad come to a stop behind Charlie, in the Foyer, with quizzical looks clouding their faces.

"I'm Charlie Swan, Chief of Police of Forks," Charlie stated in a strong tone as he flashed his badge in Dimwit's face.

"Shit! He's angry…" Bella whispered as she pressed herself more to me. I looked at everyone and they all had worried looks on their faces, except for Jazz, of course.

"Wow! You are Charlie Swan? Hey, guys check it out. Maybe he heard we were here and came to get us," Dimwit joked and giggled.

Charlie glared at him, "Agents, can I see your IDs, please?" Charlie said in a clipped tone.

"What's up with people asking for our IDs all the time?!" Dimwit shook his head in frustration.

I could have sworn that I saw Charlie blowing smoke out of his ears.

"Anyway, we were looking for your daughter, Isabella," he continued as if he hadn't heard the Chief who took another step into the Hall. Charlie shifted his eyes to meet Bella's who stiffened more, if possible, beside me.

"She has a package for us to deliver to its rightful owner. I mean, Dr. Pattinson here…" Dimwit gestured to me and I couldn't help but gulp.

"And his lovely wife, Kristen," he batted his eyelashes at Bella, which made her flinch and made me growl.

"Yeah, the Pattinsons were kind enough to invite us to dinner even when we came unannounced. And all this is because some buckle-head couldn't keep the records up-to-date." Dimwit huffed and placed his hands on his waist.

I chanced a look at my dad and noticed that he was looking at his scrubs; the one _I_ was wearing. I guess he figured out what was going on, because now he looked plain… _scary_. His face was so red with rage that you could see a pink halo around it.

_I wonder if Dimwit can take me up for adoption instead of JC__?_

Mom apparently noticed his state and started running a soothing hand on his back. Mom's face, on the other hand, was etched with worry.

Charlie looked again at Bella who was now deathly pale beside me.

"Demetri, would you stop blabbing for a minute, you are bothering Officer Swan," Horny huffed in annoyance then turned her attention to Charlie, batting her eyelashes at him.

_Well, Chief, I hope you had your allergy shot_.

"Officer Swan, if you'd be kind enough to lead us to your daughter? We need to collect baby… uh… what's his name again?" Horny huffed again, but then waived her hand dismissively.

"Sorry, his name was at the tip of my tongue; anyway, we came here hoping to find the family she was supposed to be staying with during your absence. A 'Cohen'… 'Coben'…?" she tapped her chin, trying to recall my family's name.

"The 'CULLEN' family?" My Dad seethed from behind Charlie.

"Why, that's correct. So, we are here to get the baby because his adoption process was completed," she continued smoothly.

Charlie looked at Bella who now had tears running down her cheeks, while the girls were trying to calm her down.

"Uh… where are my manners, can I help you, Sir?" Horny told Dad in what she thought was a seductive way.

I think my dad was about to explode at that point, so he took a few calming breaths while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"We are the Cullens. I'm Esme Cullen and this is my _husband_ Carlisle Cullen. And you are currently making a spectacle out of yourself at _my_ house! Miss, you need to leave right away." Mom apparently had her fill of the situation.

Horny was about to snap back, but Charlie raised his hand to stop her and turned to address my parents, "Esme, Carlisle… I know this is your home, but would you allow me?" Charlie asked and gestured with his head towards the misfits, who were now staring at Charlie keenly. My Mom and Dad nodded mutely at Charlie, while giving me murderous looks.

"Sir and Madam, you are kindly asked not to say anything other than answer questions I ask. Otherwise, I'll be obliged to arrest the both of you on bases of impersonating public officials," Charlie said in a grave voice.

The misfits' eyes bulged at Charlie's command and both nodded dumbly.

"Good, we understand each other then. Now, please show me your IDs," Charlie commanded.

Both of them quickly reached in their bags and handed their IDs to Charlie.

"Those seem in order. But isn't it a bit late for Social workers to do site visits and, may I say, _unaccompanied_ by a police officer, too?" Charlie fumed at the pair as he handed them back their IDs.

"Um… we were supposed to arrive earlier, but we got a flat on our way. And since we were supposed to grab the kid today, we thought it would be okay to just do it without the help of police. We have seen other Agents do it all the time," Dimwit said in a nervous voice.

Charlie narrowed his eyes and leaned towards Dimwit, who took a step back.

"Sir, have you been drinking during your working hours?" Charlie asked him with blazing eyes.

"No! I mean, I only had one beer during dinner." Dimwit stopped when he saw Charlie raising an eyebrow at him.

"So, now if I asked you to do certain tests to make sure that neither of you is drunk, can you tell me, for certain, that you won't fail?" Charlie dared him and mercifully the stupid guy kept his mouth shut.

"You know, you both are in quite a load of trouble…" Charlie fumed at them and then turned his gaze to Bella.

"Bells, where is JC?" he asked her quietly.

"Daddy, please!" With this, Bella fully broke into convulsing sobs against me.

"Sir, please don't. You can take me into custody, but we are not handing him over," I told him in a strong voice, not caring that we had an audience.

Charlie looked pained when he saw his daughter break into pieces in front of him. He looked at Alice and she gestured with her head to the stairs, telling him mutely that JC was upstairs. I looked up and found Rose's kid cousins all huddled at the top of the stairs taking in the scene fearfully.

He sighed and shook his head, "Mr. Vecci, may I see the paperwork you have on JC's case?" Charlie asked him quietly.

_Huh?_

"Chief Swan, how…" Jazz started but he was awarded with a warning glare from Charlie.

When Mr. Vecci didn't move to get the papers out because he was staring at us in confusion, Charlie tilted his head with a questioning gaze. Dimwit, knowing that he was already in deep shit and not wanting to dig a deeper grave, sighed and complied.

A few seconds later the papers were handed to Charlie, who took a quick look at them. Then took out his pen and signed on a few sheets and handed them back to Dimwit, who had a puzzled look on his face.

"But, Chief, these papers state that we have received the baby." Dimwit suddenly sobered up.

"I know that, Mr. Vecci," Charlie stated calmly.

"Daddy, no! Please, don't," Bella sobbed loudly now.

"But, Sir, we _haven't_ even _seen_ the baby. And he still needs to be delivered to his rightful guardian and--" The confused Dimwit was cut off when Charlie raised his hand to stop him.

"Mr. Vecci, if you had been in contact with your Head Quarters and doing your job correctly, you would have known that this case has already been _closed_," Charlie stated calmly.

"WHAT!" We all bellowed at once. Bella's eyes bulged as another sob shook her form.

"Sir, we _have_ been in contact with Head Quarters!" Dimwit said indignantly.

"Really? Well, then. What's the name of the person who adopted JC? Do you have any picture of Chief Swan? Or a picture of his daughter, for that matter?" Charlie shot his questions, not waiting for answers.

"Well, uh… they told us there was no need for--" Dimwit started but was cut off again.

"Anyway, this is all unnecessary now. As I said, this case was closed," Charlie said in a calm manner and looked at Bella whose sobs were muffled against my chest.

We all exchanged confused looks; why was the Chief acting so calm about all this?

"Sir, with all due respect--" Dimwit stopped when he saw the look on the Chief's face.

"Agent Vecci, I will say this once. So, hear me out. Your paperwork is now in order. Being Isabella Swan's father and legal guardian, I can sign on her behalf. Now, if you don't mind, you'd do yourself huge favor if you'd remove yourselves from this property and not show up here again. This case has been closed.

"And since you look a little bit more sober now, I'll allow you to drive to a motel nearby. If I call the motel and find out that you haven't checked in, in about 15 minutes, I'll find you and arrest you both for more charges than I can count, which will lead to you losing your jobs. In the morning, you'll take your breakfast, leave Forks and head to your hometown. Finally, you'll forget all about this case once you file in the papers. Am I clear?"

"But, Chief, what about the baby? He needs to be with his rightful guardian," Dimwit said stubbornly.

We all growled at him causing him to flinch back. Charlie gave us a warning look then tuned to look at Dimwit.

"_JC_ already _**is**_ with his rightful guardian," Charlie told him calmly.

My mouth hit the floor.

_Well, damn! If it isn't the Chief of Anarchy come out to play…_

Bella gave her Dad a teary smile that was clouded with confusion.

"Sir, I can't --" Dimwit stopped talking and his eyes bulged when he saw that Charlie was reaching for his gun.

"Charlie!" My Dad exclaimed and reached to hold Charlie's hand away from his gun.

"DAD!" Bella yelled, scared out of her wits.

"Relax, Carlisle, I just need to reach my pocket," Charlie rolled his eyes at my Dad, who let go of his hand warily. Charlie reached into his pocket and got out a folded paper.

"Sir, do you mean to tell me that you have a paper cancelling the adoption?" Dimwit asked Charlie skeptically.

The guys and I looked with anticipation at the paper in Charlie's hand.

"No, Mr. Vecci," Charlie said calmly.

_Fuck!_

A collective groan sounded throughout the room.

"Well then, Sir, the baby needs to be with his _new_ father," Dimwit huffed.

"Well, according to this…" Charlie stuck the paper in Dimwit's face.

"I AM JC's _new_ father," Charlie said calmly.

_Fuck me sideways!_

**End Chapter ****Nineteen**

**A****/N: was this chapter worth calling a 'present'? Next chapter, we'll see the talk the parents will have with our guys, a couple more surprises and we'll see some more of the murderer… Please review to wish my Edward a happy birthday ;)**

**Luv ya!**


	23. Silent Tear Award Nomination

Dearest readers and amazing reviewers :)

I'm sorry I'm posting this second AN right now, especially when I know that you're all waiting for the chapter… a few days ago, I was informed that **You Don't Know Anything** was **nominated** for the **Silent Tear Award** for **Best Edward & Bella** category… so, I want to thank each and every one of you who had thought of nominating this story :) you are totally awesome!

The link

http://silent-tear-awards(dot)webs(dot)com/

Voting had started already and it ends on June 20th… I'd really appreciate it if you could vote for my story. Also, I'd like to say 'thank you' to all of you who are sticking with my story. Your continuous support is beyond words and your reviews always make my heart melt. I know I haven't been updating much but the next chapter will be up soon… I promise. I already have over 6k written and the chapter is more than half done…

And, I'd like to welcome all the new readers… your words and support are putting the biggest of smiles on my face :)

And since I love you so much… I'd like to leave you a small sneak peek from the up coming chapter as a treat…

Here it is…

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*

*

"We're so dead." Alice murmured from beside me.

Rose and Jazz nodded at this, while I stayed silent looking at Bella who still was tongue-tide after her father's revelation.

"I know the Chief will understand; he won't do anything reckless like chase us with his shotgun, right? Bells?" Em asked Bella despondently.

She looked at him still sniffling and shook her head not knowing the answer.

"Dude, I'm too young to go to jail." Em murmured.

Personally, I wasn't worried about the Chief as much as I was worried about the murderous look that Dad had given us.

"Em, I wasn't talking about Charlie. I was talking about Dad! Did you see the look in his eyes?!" Alice snapped quietly.

"Yeah, Em. You should have seen the look on your Dad's face. He had the same look in his eyes that Edward had when he dealt with Mike the other day." Jazz said quietly and tightened his hold on Alice who shivered.

"Fuck it if jail doesn't sound like the fuckin' Ritz right now! Dude, I'm too young to fuckin' die!" Em whined.

_Oh, we are so fucked._

"Fuck!" We said in unison.

*

*

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Sorry if it wasn't fulfilling, I hope to post the whole thing soon. Wish me luck…

PS. All shout outs will be up in the next chapter ;)

Luv ya!


	24. Chapter 20

**Summary**: Parents' death left her with a new-born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's. How'd she cope her unsaid secrets with the green-eyed jerk's advances and the unknown lurking danger, EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessiveward. Razzle Dazzle & Silent Tear Nmnee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**A/N: Hey, guys! ****I know, I know. I can't say how sorry I am for the long wait… but worry not, as I bear you the longest chapter with lots of the long-awaited talk. Also, I got a big surprise last month…**

**YDKA has been nominated for a Silent Tear Award, for the 'Best Edward & Bella' category; it's a huge honor and I really can't thank you enough! I hope this chapter will be a good treat for all of you. Please vote for my story (link in my profile); it would be my first win, that is, if it ever happens… lol**

**To all of you my amazing readers, I name…**

nini805, Mels78, PennyLaneMasenCullen1, njdevil30718, reesessweetie, alwayswatchingtv, gossip-bangkok, Litany Gone, lilquackers77, Lizzie2325, cvds, dizzykaz, Breath-of-twilight, DodgerMcClure, KRYork, MzCoqueta, BellaCullenPR, QuueenElizabeth, Angelwells, luv4jake, radiate689, Nik2010, Dannygirl90, lovingit3, ilovedonuts, SharkGurl, CatMasters, Lansara, nanavette, RoseArcadia, dontrun, flyrbrd, lionandthelamb24, Jazmin Torres, deleepowman, canadiantwilight, Twilightie, jacobzwyfe, betsmecullen, jenninemarie, Soccer11, April, bnjwl, may-bell-rose, NATwilight, babylopez2008, Thoughts to fill the void, dacoops, bellandeannedwardfan78, OECD, luv4edwardcullen, pcirish, LoveThoseVampires, maggiejoma, fanficreader83, Ice Fata, MafiaBitches, sharon89, ashiana, Ilovecherrypie, amandaolsson, amwine, .19, Courtney37, laceyndom, Emmii, twilightfanatic00, ashley1023, rayekay, gothgirl1245, amgrant3, lgmrkm, EdwardsBrunette2, acw1, EmraePenne, Bella Quinn, clancy119, alsotwilightandedwardfan, Madison Elliott, twilightgirl80, snv3, caligyrl4cullen, xneverthinkx, bluiqt, tboneMom0512, rae_rae144, Kimmie39, CitizenCullen25, SweetHart2BME, Beka Copper, augustine4, trustme83, crackupmonkey, aerobee82, LyndsBaby, Epatz, twiMom220, soccershadow3, beignet, Lillie Cullen, ForeverM, SuperSayjinPanny, BookLuver16, AKEMI SHIKON, auroraboralis, BoookWoorm35, Silver Volvo Lover, jackspergirl, ladysharkey1, CeruleanKitten, nermalasu, MisfiTwi, b4d3l2c1, BlueLilyInDarkness, Treya, jess2002, Anita118, iwantacullentoo, emroseliz, l lynn, Mommytwilight, bbonin, xoxokristen, gitgit, wackynicolecsu, Giaah, ingrid44, ginnmeadows, AmberrrJune, absmw1618, RingTheBella, angiepie02, tahliaa., Weakse, Kristina Ferrara, twilight Mom and fan, Diamone, mycajunlover, Estelicia, Markiee, venichel sangalang, twilightMom1, mycajunlover, pippyXYZ, jktwi, Magos186, Edward-Anthony-LoveR, Kolored, Hope4more, MoriaAngel, TrudyGill23, TwiguysObsessed, kuntrygal, b3j02, Nez93, dreamstar1995, turquoise1581, hunger, ecimv, Mommyamybee, mistydawn80, maybebaby23, Jaymedee, caseytabwizz, i'm random girl, Nana, silky161, Jennmc75, KatyAtAll, 71star, Gotta luv the Vamps, angel-cordy, Michaela, superantona, Twilvr17, AngelsLuvMe, jktwi19, Nonie, twilight4u, snusa, feedmemore, TexasTwilight77, twilighter2012, nubiancutie, aliciataz, TraceyJ, ImwithPatz, jessieclow3, Manna1, Aurgasm, Lori94, seickholt, YesMyRealNameIsBella, FiorellaM, ajendas, DoubleAgentA, terri lynne and LizHartzog5813

**You are all AMAZING! With your continuous support this story has become what it is now :) I really hope that I haven't missed any of your names ;)**

**Special shout out** to my awesomeness of a friend **Breath-of-twilight (Kelli)** for **betaing** my chapter. Luv ya, bb! Check out her story **The Sanguine Virtuoso's** it's in my favorites' list.

Also, huge kisses and big hug goes to the sweetest **Kefe** for doing the **pre-reading **of this chapter, you are just AMAZING, bb :) I love those small comments that you leave me! Please, check out her latest stories **A Tangled Web **and **Love is Hell** (the last one is just something you can't get enough of). Both are in my favorites' list.

Stories that are pure AWESOMENESS and plain AMAZING; a MUST read (all in my favorites' list)!

"**Like a Moth to A Flame" **&** "Sweet Treats and Deadbeats" **by** CitizenCullen25, **your chapters always leave me breathless and aching for more. Also, the shout outs you give me always warm my heart; thanks, bb.

**"Freeze Frame****"** & **"Shipwrecked" **by **Jewels64,** bb you are just too sweet to be true; I really can't get enough of the awesomeness of your stories and you as a person.

**"Homecoming" **& **"Prodigal Returns" **by **dontrun, **awesome twists that will keep you wanting more :) she just gave birth to baby Alex last month; please, go read her stories and leave her and her lovely baby some love ;)

**Okay! ****Dude, seriously that was one huge AN! Phew!**

**Now without further ado, here it is…**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter ****Twenty**

We stood there gawking at the Chief, while he cleared with the social workers that everything was in order.

None of us had the courage to say anything. We silently followed the Chief, Mom and Dad to the patio as they led the workers to their car and saw them off.

"We're so dead," Alice murmured from beside me.

Rose and Jazz nodded at this, while I stayed silent, looking at Bella who was still tongue-tide after her father's revelation.

"I know the Chief will understand; he won't do anything reckless like chase us with his shotgun, right, Bells?" Em asked Bella despondently.

She looked at him still sniffling and shook her head not knowing the answer.

"Dude, I'm too young to go to jail," Em murmured.

Personally, I wasn't worried about the Chief as much as I was worried about the murderous look that Dad had given us.

"Em, I wasn't talking about Charlie. I was talking about Dad! Did you see the look in his eyes?!" Alice snapped quietly.

"Yeah, Em, you should have seen the look on your Dad's face. He had the same look in his eyes that Edward had when he dealt with Mike the other day," Jazz said quietly and tightened his hold on Alice who shivered.

"Fuck it if jail doesn't sound like the fuckin' Ritz right now! Dude, I'm too young to fuckin' die!" Em whined.

_Oh, we are so fucked._

"Fuck!" we said in unison.

Bella, on the other hand, stayed quiet and was sniffling beside me.

"Love, are you okay?" I asked her tentatively. I, then, reached for her hair and pulled it down and combed it with my fingers.

She relaxed a bit to my touch and looked at me.

"They're not taking JC?" She asked, sounding like she couldn't believe it.

"No, love. The Chief saved the day, apparently," I reassured her and hugged her.

"But… but how? I didn't…" she trailed off as the parents made their way to us.

"Inside. NOW!" Dad bellowed.

We sprinted inside and were about to get into the living room, when the Chief stopped us.

"Wait!" Chief instructed and looked at Dad who still had the same murderous look in his eyes.

"Carlisle, would you mind if I take over? Looking at your state right now, I think I'm more equipped for this kind of situation, with your permission, of course," Charlie told Dad cautiously and waited for Dad to answer.

Mom whispered something in Dad's ear. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths while pinching the bridge of his nose.

He opened them looking a bit calmer.

_Way to go, __Mom._

"Go ahead, Charlie." He nodded to the Chief and muttered something about 'needing enough valium to induce a coma'.

_There're a couple of sealed bottles in my bathroom, __Dad._

"Okay, guys." He addressed us as if we were his troupes.

"Em and Rose, you'll take the kids and return them to their parents; it's way past their bedtime," he told Em and Rose who nodded back at him.

"Bells, check on JC and make sure that he's okay. Change him, feed him and do all the necessities," he spoke gently as he looked at his daughter.

"I'm sure Edward would be happy to help you?" he questioned.

I nodded quickly and glued myself to Bella's side.

"Jasper and Alice, you are to return whatever you've changed into its original state," he told Jazz and Alice who nodded quickly.

"Good. Now, it's almost 8:30. At nine, I expect all of you to be sitting in the Cullens' living room. We need to have a talk. Bells, if JC is still up, you may bring him down with you. Go ahead, guys." He nodded to us. I, then, noticed that the parents went into Dad's office and closed the door.

I sighed and took Bella's hand in mine and led the way upstairs. I saw Em and Rose gather the kids; they and started dressing them up to leave.

Bella looked like she was about to lose it any second now. I stayed silent till we reached my room.

Once we were in, I turned to her and held her in my arms. Tightly.

"Love, are you okay?" I asked her softly as I rubbed her back.

"Oh God! I was so scared," she whispered against my chest, then broke down in my arms and started bawling into my scrub top.

"Shhhhh… shhhhh… it's okay. It's all over now. JC is safe. No one is taking him," I murmured quietly to soothe her.

I held her, rubbed her back and placed soft kisses on her forehead while she sobbed. After a couple of minutes, she started to calm down.

"God, I can't believe it's over," she said in between sniffles and went to take care of the whimpering JC.

"I can't believe Charlie didn't tell me?!" she suddenly snapped loudly and took a tissue to wipe her face.

I was so surprised by her outburst that I couldn't say anything. I totally understood her position, though. All this fear that morphed into anger made sense to me. I mean, I still remember how I felt when I first heard about JC. The thought of losing Bella got me so scared at the time; and knowing that I was kept in the dark, it made me so angry that I almost pushed her away.

"I mean, here I was worrying out of my wits, and Charlie knew? He KNEW! He knew all along and didn't say a fucking thing?!!" she fumed and leaned forward to pick up JC.

I snatched JC before she could pick him up and held him tight to me.

"Love, you're scaring him. Please, calm down," I told her as I tried to loosen his hands, which were holding on to my scrubs like clamps, and I placed him on the bed.

She looked taken aback.

I sighed and looked at JC who was cooing at me and holding his hands up for me to pick up him.

"Love, you need to calm down," I told her again and picked up JC, since I couldn't resist him when he was all cute and clingy like that.

"Charlie said that we need to discuss things. So, if we're still alive… I guess you can ask him about it. I mean, I, for one, am pissed off that I can't be JC's Dad any more. But hey, at least, he won't be far, right? He's safe now, baby," I told her and gave her a one-armed hug since I was holding JC with the other one.

"Yeah, I guess you're right?" she sighed and took JC from me to attend to his needs.

Five minutes to 9 pm, Bella, JC and I were ready to go down. Jazz and Alice were standing with us in my room.

Jazz was trying to decipher the whole situation. Alice, on the other hand, looked a bit dazed, but mostly she looked afraid; like she was being led to a guillotine.

"Maybe he knew all along," Jazz told us, cutting off my train of thoughts.

"Jazz, how could he have known?" Bella asked him exasperatedly.

"Didn't the newspapers say anything about the accident?" Jazz asked Bella quietly.

"Well, some newspapers mentioned the accident briefly, but they didn't elaborate. James and I checked all the newspapers," Bella told him.

"Bells, do you think that Aunt Tanya told him?" Jazz asked her hesitantly.

She sighed as she continued to rock back and forth holding the cooing JC in her arms.

"I don't know, Jazz. But I really doubt it. At least, at that time, she acted like she was on our side. She never gave us, James nor I, any indication that she was even in contact with Charlie. She contacted Charlie two times. The first time, when she briefly told him about what happened and that I was going to be leaving Phoenix to come live with him. The second time she called him was to give him the expected date of our arrival," Bella told him.

"There is something missing," Jazz mused to himself.

I looked again at the forlorn Alice.

"Are you okay, Ali-baba?" I asked her softly.

She startled a bit at the sound of my voice. She looked at me and shook her head, then looked at Jazz.

"Something's missing, Jazz," Pixie told him worriedly.

"Honey, I know. I just said that," he chuckled nervously.

She shook her head and went silent for a second.

"No, that's not what I meant. _We_ missed on something… I can't be quite sure what though…" she stopped and stared ahead of her again.

"Bells, maybe he heard you talking to James on the phone," Jazz guessed again, going back to the subject of how Charlie knew.

"Not sure about that. I always made sure that I was out of hearing reach whenever I was on the phone with him," Bella confirmed.

_Don't think so, baby. I remember spying, I mean overhearing you once on the phone with him._

"Well, love, I remember overhearing you talking to James on the phone. So, maybe he overheard you on the phone like I did," I guessed.

She looked at me with a confused look on her face.

"I don't remember talking to James on the phone around you. When did that happen?" she asked me suspiciously.

_Shit._

"Umm… I guess I was passing by or something," I told her quickly and stood up.

She narrowed her eyes at me and Jazz sniggered. I guess he figured out that I overheard her phone conversation _on purpose._

"I think Em and Rose are waiting for us downstairs," I told them and hurried to the door.

"Pussy," Jazz whispered to me when he came up behind me.

"Shut it, Peter Pan," I hushed him quietly.

He glared at me and descended the stairs. I glanced behind me, every other step, to make sure that Bella was descending safely. I noticed that Pixie was looking more nervous with each passing step.

We reached the living room and found Em and Rose, seated in one of the love seats. Our parents took the three-seated sofa, with Mom sitting in the middle and our Dads taking the sides.

Dad was alternating between glaring at me and shooting dirty glances at Em. But I think it was mostly at me, since he saw me wearing his scrubs. Mom was rubbing his arm, trying to soothe him.

_I guess valium wasn't enough._

Bella and I took the other love seat, while Jazz sat on the single sofa with my sister seating herself on the arm and leaning sideways against him.

"Just pray your Dad had his valium fix," Jazz whispered from beside me.

"Amen," Alice and I muttered under our breaths.

"Good. Now, since we're all here, let's start with --" Charlie said from the edge of his seat when suddenly he was interrupted by Dad.

"What the hell were you thinking, Edward?!" Dad yelled at me.

_Shit! Valium deficiency alert!_

_I should have offered him the bottles I had!_

I cursed quietly.

"Language, Carlisle!" Mom chided and took hold of his hand, again.

"Sorry, honey," Dad apologized, "It's just that…" he sighed when Mom held his hand.

"I know, dear. We'll talk now," Mom said softly and kept his hand in hers, rubbing soothing circles on the back.

_Mom__, please don't let go._

"Sheesh, we know now where Edward gets his temper from!" Em quipped.

_What temper, fucker?_

"Shut it, Em!" Dad and I snapped at Em together.

The whole room erupted in laughter except for me and Dad. I guess we preferred glaring at Em.

_I guess we had a few things in common after all._

The tension in the room dissolved a bit as the laughter died slowly.

"Thank you, Carlisle. Thank you, Edward. I guess we all needed that. Oh and, Carlisle… you owe me ten bucks," Charlie smirked at Dad and Mom giggled.

Dad narrowed his eyes at Charlie, then shook his head and sighed.

"Touché," Dad said and leaned back, resting his rigid back against the back of the seat.

"So, back to business. Now, I can take an accurate guess of what had happened this evening. But before I start with my interrogation, did any of you even _consider_ the gravity of the situation?" Charlie asked us.

A few unintelligible murmurs were heard from the guys as they exchanged worried glances.

"Dude, we're sooooo fucked," Em sulked.

"Emmett McCarty Cullen! Language!" Mom snapped.

"Sorry, Mom," he apologized and pouted. Charlie narrowed his eyes at Em.

"And since you knew that you were gonna be uh… _'in trouble'_, Em, why didn't you advise them against it?" Charlie asked Em.

"That's because I asked them to do it even when they advised me against it. I didn't want to lose JC," Bella piped up from beside me before Em could answer.

All heads in the room turned in Bella's direction. She was staring at Charlie with a hard look on her face.

"No one is to be blamed here but me, Dad. Dr. Cullen, Esme, I asked everyone for their help. You shouldn't blame or punish them," Bella said in a firm voice.

_Fucking hell! She's going to take the whole blame on herself._

_Not happening, baby._

"Oh, come on, Bella. You can't take all the credit for the plan! It was my idea in the first place, remember? Playing house?" Alice said in feigned annoyance.

Mom and Dad gasped, looking at Alice in shock while Charlie's mouth hung opened, catching flies.

_Well, might as well be catching flies since catching murderers is out of his league at the __Moment._

_HA!_

Bella opened her mouth to protest, but I nudged her lightly with my elbow and shook my head at her.

"Well, darlin', you couldn't have done anything without me planning and running the whole thing," Jazz said coolly as he laced his fingertips together; giving him a pensive and an amused look all at the same time.

"Yeah, but it was my idea to bring the kids," Rose huffed in annoyance and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Oh, yeah? Well, I was the one who actually implemented the whole plan of distracting the suckers," Em said.

"Well, guys, nothing would have happened, if I hadn't _okayed_ it. I mean, even if Bella asked for help, I wouldn't have said okay, if I wasn't sure that it was a _solid_ plan," I stated and locked gaze with Dad's blazing stare.

"Yes, Dad, it was a _solid_ plan. And, I would do it _again_ in a heartbeat if it meant that JC would be safe with us and for good," I said firmly, not breaking Dad's gaze.

"Edward!" Bella and Mom chided.

Dad looked like he was going to pounce on me had it not been for Mom, who was holding him with _both_ hands now. I just couldn't take this fucking tension anymore.

"What?!" I bellowed, not caring anymore.

"I'm not lying! Yes, I would do it again. Dad would've done it in a heartbeat if it was one of _his_ kids. Why shouldn't I do it? Just because JC is not my biological son, it doesn't mean that I wouldn't try to keep him with me," I told Mom and Bella, then I turned to Dad.

"He could have been mine, you said. Well, you know what. He might _as well_ be mine! You would've done the same if not more, Dad," I said determinedly.

Dad looked at me in shock once he realized that I'd just used his words.

Silence clouded the room, again.

Dad's rigid stance lessened a bit. Mom smiled softly at me and gave me a wink. Dad turned to look at Mom who smiled at him. It was like they were having a silent conversation.

"True," Mom said softly, still looking at Dad lovingly.

I chanced a look at Bella. She was looking at me with an adoring expression and tear-brimmed eyes. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes while pinching the bridge of my nose to calm myself.

"Well, now. I guess I'm getting more than what I have bargained for," Charlie glared at me.

"Now, I need you all to listen. No interruptions. I mean it," he glared at Dad who nodded minutely at him.

"Good, let's take this at the beginning, shall we?" Charlie stood up, facing the guys.

"Well, people, everything you said seems to make sense, but those are not the things I need to know right now. Because the real question is; what led you all to do all this in the first place?" he started.

"I need to know what triggered this whole thing. Why now? So, who wants to fill me in?" He looked at Bella expectantly.

_Well, shit!_

I remembered that this whole thing started when I overheard Bella talking to James about JC's situation; which led to the engagement and then everything progressed from there.

_SHIT! The Engagement!_

I wonder if Charlie would get pissed when he knows about our engagement.

_Well, DUH!_

I turned to Bella who didn't look fazed by her father's questioning. I guess the cop gene runs in the family.

"Well, Dad, that's a question that has a wide-range answer," she said calmly.

"However, I can answer specific questions if you grant me the same courtesy?" she asked him while rocking JC back and forth in her lap.

_Damn, she is Charlie's daughter._

"Damn! So, that's what a Chief's 'mini-me' looks like," Em mumbled, earning glares from Charlie and Bella.

Charlie cleared his throat, composed himself and turned to look at Bella.

"I guess I can do that, on one condition, though. No hidden truths and no _half_ truths. I guess we've reached a point where there's no need to hide anything. We need to make sure there are no loose ends; that there are no surprises in the future. And in order to do that, I need to know what happened exactly. And, I _will_ know it in a second." He smirked and turned to talk to the rest of us.

"Do that; and you have my trust... that goes to all of you," Charlie told us.

"Does it mean we're clear? There won't be any punishment?" Jazz, ever the negotiator, put in.

"Yeah, I don't want to go to jail," Em mumbled a bit loudly, earning a glare from Dad.

"Or perhaps, a small short-term visit to jail would be good to relief some grudges," Em told Charlie, shooting side glances at Dad.

"Oh, you wish," Dad threatened, narrowing his eyes at Em.

"Fuck," Em muttered under his breath, earning a glare from Mom this time.

"Silence, please," Charlie told Em, then returned his attention back to us.

"Well, Carlisle and Esme are the only parents who will be _fully_ involved in this - since it happened in their home - besides myself, of course. Also, during the last half hour, I have informed Jasper and Rosalie's parents of the situation to a certain extent, since they have the right to know. They advised that they agree to all and any punishments we decide upon and see fit," he informed us, earning groans from Rose and Jazz.

"And even though I will _not_ be taking any legal action against any of you, but _still_…," he trailed off loudly when the whole room erupted in cheers.

We all looked at him expectantly.

"All the parents have put in their own rendition of what the punishments would be like and we have a few scenarios. However, Carlisle, Esme and I will do the final tuning on your punishments, after we know what happened." He smirked at us evilly.

The guys and I exchanged looks and mumbled our 'okays'.

_Whew, I guess we got off almost easily on this._

"And don't think that you'll be getting off easily," Charlie told us as if he just read my mind.

_FUCK!_

Charlie stood up and brought a chair from the dining table and placed it directly in front of him.

"Jasper, would you come and sit here, please?" Charlie pointed at the chair.

Jasper looked taken aback for a second, then looked at us and moved.

_Shit! I guess Charlie had been upgraded to work with the CIA now._

Jazz took his new seat. We noticed that he couldn't look at us unless he turned his head.

"Now, I want you to tell me exactly how, why and when you got all this planned, along with what happened this evening. And don't leave anything out. Also, you are not allowed to look at any of the guys until I let you go, is that clear?" Charlie instructed.

"Well--," Jasper started but was cut off by Charlie.

"Oh and Jasper…," Charlie told him calmly.

"Yes, Sir?" Jazz's voice trembled a bit.

_Fuck! Jazz is toast!_

"You know how much I respect and trust you. Don't make me rethink my judgment. You are a smart kid who was trying to help, so, you must know how every detail will count, even if you don't think so. So, this is how this will happen. I won't interrupt you while you're talking. But at the end, I might have a couple of questions for you and the guys, which you will answer truthfully and fully; _no_ one _else_ will say anything till you're done with the story." He gave everyone in the room a warning look.

"Go on, son." Charlie gestured for him to start and sat in front of him.

Jazz started the story from when we met in my room, telling him about how I suggested adopting JC and all; leaving out the parts that led to that meeting in the first place. And for that, I was grateful; since those two stories had technically nothing to do with the adoption story.

_Liar!_

_Well, yeah. But still I was grateful._

I noticed that Dad and Charlie exchanged hard glances at the mention of Uncle Aro. When Jazz told them everything that happened at Uncle Aro's office, the stories he told us and finally the advice he gave us, Charlie and Dad looked murderous. Jazz emphasized, however, on the fact that Uncle Aro had nothing to do with the plan itself; that it was _our_ plan. Still, that didn't lessen the flickers of fire that had taken residence in both Dads' eyes.

Jazz also told them about running into Mike, and how we came to connect that story to what Uncle Aro had told us - that Mike was the reason why Bella had been sent to Phoenix at that time. At the mention of that story, Charlie's eyes suddenly glazed over. It was like he went into a state of trance for a few seconds, before shaking his head and returning his attention back to Jazz.

_I guess he's beating himself up over the fact that he'd sent Bella away._

_And he should._

_I'll even offer to help him with the beating part._

_It's only polite after all…_

Jazz, then, told Charlie about the plan and what happened this evening to every last bit of detail. He even told him about my outburst when The Agent was eyeing my Bella. I noticed two things when Jazz mentioned that story. First, Charlie looked like he was about to break something at the mention of The Agent coming on to Bella. Second, I noticed that he gave me a grateful glance when he heard of how I saved the day. Dad and Mom gave me small smiles and looked at each other knowingly. Well, they should know that she was mine to take care of.

_And, by God, if Jazz doesn't stop reciting the Chronicles of Cullen-nia, I'll shove my stethoscope up his ass!_

"… and that's all of it, Sir," Jazz told Charlie nervously.

Charlie stared at Jazz for a full minute, without saying a word.

"I believe you," Charlie said and we all sighed and relaxed a bit.

"Thank you, Jasper, you may go now." Before Charlie completed his sentence, Jazz sprang from his chair and went to sit back on the sofa next to us.

He looked at us apologetically. We shook our heads, gesturing that it was okay.

Our parents exchanged some hushed words for more minutes, and Dad looked like he was about to explode. Angry whispered words like "He's our friend…", "broke client confidentiality" and "he's dead!" reached our ears.

This wasn't right. They shouldn't blame him for wanting to help us. The guys and I exchanged looks, then I nodded and cleared my throat.

"Chief, Mom, Dad," I called them and made sure they were looking at me.

"Please, do not blame uncle Aro for wanting to help us. I mean, everything that Jazz told you was said to us in strict confidence. We weren't supposed to repeat any of it under any circumstance and we have repeated it _only_ because we thought you needed to know. We aren't telltales; we weren't trying to divert the blame here, we were only trying to give you the whole picture to eliminate any loose ends, that's all. He was only trying to help," I stopped not knowing what else to say.

The guys nodded and gave their approvals.

"We'll see about that. You are right; I can't blame him for what you guys have done. But there are good parts of information he gave you that shouldn't have been repeated. He also _suggested_ or rather _hinted _that there are illegal things that he could do to sabotage an adoption process; and that's a serious issue considering I'm a cop. I might not ruin his career, but right now, I'm gonna ask him to clue me in on those things," Charlie told me seriously and turned to finish his conversation with Mom and Dad.

A few minutes later, Charlie turned to us.

"Well, guys, I gotta give you credit. It would have been a great plan, if you were working on the wrong side. I know for sure that you wanted to help my daughter whole-heatedly. But still, what you have done is dangerously wrong. Any future solutions out the scope of Law are never ever to be even considered again. _Ever!_" Charlie told us seriously.

"I have no questions right now, but during the course of the next few days, I might ask you some questions. So, be ready," he warned us and turned to Bella.

"So, Bells. What's your first question?" Charlie asked Bella, who now sat in full alert mode.

"How did you know that I wasn't JC's _biological_ mother?" Bella blurted without hesitation.

"Well, there were two things actually. First, when I got Tanya's call that Renee and her husband, God rest their souls, were in an accident and that the news was too hard on you that you went into an early labor. At that time, I was too shocked by Renee's news to question any of the rest of the information. But then after the initial shock wore off, it got me a bit… suspicious.

"Because, even though Renee and I weren't on our best terms the last year or so, still Renee would never keep such an important news concerning your relationships with boys, or you being pregnant away from me in the first place!" Charlie said incredulously.

"So, when you got here; and I saw how you were taking care of JC and how you acted like a real mother to him, it _almost_ made me rethink my doubts. But when I saw you moving around the house, how at ease you were, how you didn't complain and how you didn't grumble about having aches since you were supposed to be a 'new mother' and all. It lit another light in my head, which led me to the second thing.

"When your Mom gave birth to you, she couldn't move properly for a few weeks. And yet, there you were in front of me; full of energy and zealous to take care of everything. You drove from one state to another, which was a huge thing to do in your supposed state. You didn't have the body of a mother, you didn't go to any doctor appointments, which usually occur after giving birth, and finally, you didn't attend to certain purchasing needs that usually come with being a new mother," Charlie trailed off uncomfortably.

It was almost funny to see the blushing contest between Charlie and his daughter who was now trying to hide her face behind a curtain of her hair and failing miserably.

_But damn! He was right!_

Charlie didn't elaborate more on _that_ subject, but nonetheless continued his explanation.

"So, I decided to do a little 'fishing' of my own. Remember when I asked you all those weird questions? Well, you gave me all the answers. All _perfect answers._ They were almost textbook answers; not answers that a woman would give from her own experience.

"All those were enough clues for me. So, I pulled the Chief card and started doing some work. Pulling out a birth certificate from the system is not a challenge for me and it had all the information I wanted. But I still wasn't sure of why you lied. So, I called Tanya and talked to her a few times. She didn't say anything at first, but then when I confronted her, she caved in," Charlie said calmly.

"But why didn't you tell me that you knew?! Why didn't you tell me that you intended on adopting JC instead of letting me worry myself over an issue that didn't even exist anymore!?" Bella's posture was now rigid and she was shaking with anger.

"Why would you do that to me? I mean, isn't it enough that I had to go through hell and back trying not to lose JC? But also, you--" Bella's banter got interrupted by Charlie's chiding.

"I could ask you the same thing, you know. Why didn't you tell me what happened? Why didn't you ask for my help in the first place when the accident happened?" Charlie reprimanded, looking hurt.

"Bells, when have I ever given you the doubt that I'd be anything but supportive? I know that your Mom and I weren't on good terms, but that's no excuse for what you did! Do you have any idea what trouble you could be in right now? Do you have _any_ idea what I had to do to control the damage that you almost did with your recklessness?!" Charlie snapped.

Bella's lip trembled a bit and she shivered beside me. She looked around her, helplessly, for someone to help.

But none of us knew what to say. We'd never seen Charlie this pissed. _Ever_!

"Well, umm… Mom, she… uh," Bella stammered beside me, trying to control her voice, while her tears ran down her cheeks like a waterfall.

I couldn't help it. So, I turned to her. Wrapping my arms around her, I muttered assuring words to her to calm her down.

"Charlie, you're scaring her," Mom said softly.

_You think?!_

"Come on, Bells. I answered your question fully and thoroughly. Why can't you grant me the same courtesy?" Charlie continued in a calmer voice.

"I didn't know things were like this. I thought that with the um… situation with Mom and all, that you, uh… wouldn't help me. Especially, since you _sent_ me away to live with her. And at that time, I didn't know why, since no one explained it to me. And then, a couple of years passed and I hadn't heard from you…

"Mom said you weren't helping raising me at all; that you'd prefer it if I lived in a bubble rather than have me around guys at all. She said you should have taught me how to handle things, and not to run away from them," she sniffled, then took a deep breath and continued.

"So, when Mom got pregnant and didn't tell you about it because you guys were still not talking, I _thought_ that if you knew that JC is her son, that you wouldn't want him. That you'd put him up for adoption. I didn't want that! I couldn't lose him. He's my brother and the only thing left from her and Phil and…" Bella's sobs shook through her small form.

JC started whimpering and Alice took the initiative to extract him from Bella's trembling arms.

I held her to me with no intention of letting her go. Rose got Bella some water, and all the room got quiet till Bella calmed down.

I glared at Charlie and he glared back.

"Bells, listen to me," he started calmly.

"It was never you! I might have sent you away… but at the time there were these uh… _special_ circumstances. And I wanted to ensure your safety. I only wanted you to be safe, Bells," Charlie said and looked at my Mom for help.

"Bella honey, I'm not sure how to say this...," Mom started hesitantly and we all looked at her.

"I didn't mention it to you before, because I thought that I'd be a constant reminder of your loss… but Carlisle and I knew your Mom and Dad during high school. Actually, we were close friends. Sort of like you and the guys here…," she trailed off when she saw our shocked faces.

"So anyway, your Mom was an amazing person, but she always had problems with how she dealt with people… for her, everything was either black or white. She either loved with passion, like she once loved your Dad, you or even Phil in the end. Or, she would hate and sever all relations with a person, especially if she thought that that person was threatening the happiness of a beloved one… which was you, in that case.

"Your Dad only sent you away because he wanted to ensure your safety. Unfortunately, your mother didn't give him the chance to explain what had happened fully, so, she just excluded him from everything. Your Mom had no right to keep you from your Dad, she should have at least told him about what was going on with you at the very least.

"Like Renee's pregnancy, for example, she should have told your Dad. That way, you would have had his support from the first Moment. You didn't see what the news had done to him at that time. He didn't even care about JC then; he was only worried about you and how you were handling things. He wanted to go there and help you. He actually almost cried when he thought of you in a hospital, having to give birth to a child with no one you knew around you," Mom said softly and Dad nodded his affirmation.

_I can't believe I'm saying this. But… Poor Charlie!_

_I can totally relate to what he's saying._

"Do you think a Dad like that could hate his daughter? He didn't care what happened, or how you got pregnant, he just wanted to see that you were safe and it took a lot of us to convince him against going there. We told him to let you come to him, to give you some time for yourself to mull things over. He was going to support you with any decision you made about JC. He told us that he would even help you raise him. Your Dad was miserable just trying to figure out how to help you. And he is so proud of you, you know? He's proud of how you're handling JC, the house and friends while still maintaining excellent grades at school. We are all proud of you, dear," Mom said and smiled at Bella.

Bella sniffled, then blushed and gave Mom a timid smile. She looked at me, giving me a watery smile and I gave her a wide smile in return.

_Yeah, I'm proud of you too, love._

Charlie, whose face was flushed with emotions, looked nervously at Bella and cleared his throat.

"So, umm… I don't like to speak ill of the dead, so… uh… I guess I'll blame this 'not telling' business on a _huge_ misunderstanding in addition to lack of communication. And, I'll let it go, if you promise not to keep anything from me ever again," Charlie said seriously.

Bella looked at him and nodded quickly.

"I'll leave the other questions for later, but for now I need to say this. Do you have any idea what the Cullens and I had to go through, with the help of Tanya, of course, to clear the adoption situation in Phoenix? The fact that Carlisle was nice enough to help with JC, like do the needed check ups at home and give him his shots without asking you to take him to a hospital, had helped a lot, of course.

"You were smart enough to ask him that, but it was one of the things that fueled my suspicions. Bells, I really need you to understand the gravity of your past actions. I mean, did you know that we almost _lost_ JC?" Charlie reprimanded.

'Fucks' and 'shits' were blurted around the room.

"What? How? I wasn't told that there were any flags on JC's record! The last time the records were checked, there was nothing wrong, right E— uh…," Bella blurted out, then stopped abruptly. But it was already too late, because Charlie had already caught on it. She glanced briefly at Em who suddenly looked like he was going to be sick.

"Go on…," Charlie narrowed his eyes at her, while giving sideway glances to Em.

"No secrets, Bells," Charlie threatened.

"Uh… I mean, at least, I _think_ the records umm…," she stammered uncomfortably.

"I think I know what this is all about," Dad cut her off calmly.

"She'd had access to public records somehow; and I'm guessing that one of the _boys_…" Dad trailed off and glared at Em, then continued, "…had managed to hack into those public records," Dad finished and crossed his arms.

"Would anyone like to come clean right now, while they still can?" Dad narrowed his eyes at Em.

Em tried to look nonchalant for a Moment or two, but then cracked under Dad's steely gaze.

"Shit, how did you know it was me?!" Em blurted out.

"Well, I don't pay for a top-class laptop and not know what it's capable of. Questions would arise when your son, who's still in high school, throws a couple of thousands on a piece of equipment," Dad said, while quirking a brow at my brother.

"So, when I asked a few trusted people, they said that it has one of the most powerful engines. That it was equipped with excellent gadgets and accessories. They said that when this 'piece of art' is mated with the right brain, it can access anything, even governmental records and systems unnoticed. Like a 'Phantom'," Dad quipped while using the air quotes.

"Well, just so you know… this is not a regular thing I do. I know a trick or two and I was only trying to help…" Em stammered trying to give excuses.

"Dr. Cullen, he only did it because I asked him to," Bella assured Dad.

"Honey, I know for a fact that you didn't know that my son, the muscled jock, was actually a nerd at heart." Dad smirked at Bella who blushed and looked apologetically at Em.

"I am NOT a NERD!" Em glared at Dad then continued, "it's alright, Bells. I know you meant well. At least, I'm not the jock that started this whole thing," Em mumbled the last part a bit loudly.

_Shit!_

That caught the attention of the parents. They exchanged a few looks while all the guys, except Em, groaned.

I was about to pounce and kill my brother.

_Maybe I'll use his top-class laptop to crack his thick skull with it!_

"Well, thank you, Em? I was curious about that myself." Charlie smirked at Em.

"Wait! Does this have anything to do with you hurting your hand a couple of days ago?" Mom asked warily.

"Fuck!" I muttered under my breath.

"Bells, would you like to elaborate on this? I didn't know how or when you told the guys in the first place," Charlie asked her curiously.

"Well, all of them knew about it, except for Edward who knew about it the day after he hurt his hand," Bella told him.

"Care to elaborate, honey?" Charlie urged her.

"Well, uh… Edward overheard James and I talking about JC's adoption and he uh… misunderstood some of it and overreacted, which led to all this," she said and looked at me apologetically.

"Typical," Dad sighed.

"You are one to talk," Mom and Charlie quipped at the same time, earning a glare from Dad.

The guys sniggered; and I decided to defend myself.

"Oh, give me a break, Dad! If you had seen your girlfriend whispering with another guy, what would you have done?!" I snapped in frustration.

"Actually, we know what your Dad would have done, because he had already done it." Charlie smirked while giving Mom a pointed look.

Mom smiled and looked at Dad, who groaned and his face turned into a deep shade of red.

"So, we know what your Dad had done…" Charlie trailed off and narrowed his eyes at me.

"Edward, is there something you'd like to say?" Charlie asked gravely, flexing both hands.

_Hmm… something to say?_

_You mean something like… your daughter and I are married?_

_Or better yet… I married Bella and I wanted to adopt JC to give them both the Cullen name, so there will be no more Swans to terrorize the living shit out of any future Cullen?_

_Gulp._

"Well, it's sort of like…" I started but stopped when his face started turning red. He narrowed his eyes at me.

_Cue theme music of a western movie where you see two men having a duel at the plaza._

He flexed his hands again and gave me a murderous look.

"No, Bella and I are _not_ married. You don't see a ring on Bella's finger, do you?" I said coolly as I held up Bella's hand.

The room fell into silence for a few seconds and I noticed that even though Charlie's stiffness has lessened, still he kept his glare in place. It was like he knew that I was not telling him everything. He crossed his arms and scowled at me.

"We agreed. No half-assed truths, remember?" he told me quietly.

_Fucking hell!_

I knew we were going to have to tell our parents eventually. But damn!

I sighed and looked at Bella, who gulped and nodded minutely with a worried look. I guess there was no time like the present, since the opportunity had presented itself s_omehow._

_Damn it, Em!_

I opened my mouth but I didn't say anything. Why, you ask?

That's because my egg-head of a brother opened his mouth instead.

"Jeez, Chief Swan! They are NOT married! Bella hasn't even turned eighteen yet! SHEESH!" Em said exasperatedly.

The whole room sighed in relief and relaxed.

Then Nerd-Central decided to open his mouth again.

"They are only engaged," he stated with a huff, like Charlie's almost-question and concerns were groundless.

Charlie straightened his back and opened his mouth to say something but Bella beat him to it.

"Dad, come on. It's not like we're married. You know that Edward and I like each other very much. Besides, you and Mom got married right after high school. So, an engagement is not that bad, is it?" Bella pleaded to her Dad who was now shooting daggers at me with his eyes.

"Yes, but that's…" Charlie started but Mom cut him off.

"And Carlisle and I were married _in_ high school, Charlie," Mom stated firmly.

We all gaped at my Mom, while Dad groaned.

_I thought they got married after high school! I can't believe they lied to us!_

"Honey! You've seen what our sweet Alice came up with, and you've heard what Emmett did already! No need to give them more ideas!" Dad whined and shook his head.

_Well, I guess now we know where Em got that 'whining' feature from…_

_And Dad, seriously? Sweet Alice?_

I mentally snorted.

"Don't honey me, Carlisle Cullen!" Mom snapped, scaring the shit out of us.

Mom getting angry was rare and scary!

"Esme, it's just that--" Charlie started, but Mom cut him off quickly.

"What, Charlie? I'm not gonna sit here and ignore the pink elephant that's been hanging over our heads since Bella came to Forks. The fact of the matter is… Edward has been different, and in a good way, since Bella came here. So, now he's discovered that he has _feelings_ for her and he's addressing those 'feelings' _appropriately_. And Bella apparently returns those feelings as she said a minute ago; and said 'yes'. I mean, come on we've all known that they are both crazy about each other, even when they were trying to be subtle about it!" Mom scolded Dad and Charlie.

Charlie glared at me, while Dad hung his head. Mom gave me a wink and I gave her half a smile.

"Now, Charlie, I would totally understand it if you tell Edward, 'kid, if you ever hurt my baby's feelings, jail would seem like a walk in the park, if your body ever makes it there," Mom stated matter-of-factly and then turned to Dad.

"Because, I'm sure Carlisle would match that offer and tell Jazz, 'kid, if you ever hurt my baby's feelings, I'll perform a full autopsy on your _living_ body without using any anesthetic.'. And, of course, the same courtesy would be extended to Em by Mr. Hale, but in a different version I guess," Mom shrugged.

'The Undertaker' and 'Hannibal Lecter' glared at me and Jazz and nodded their heads in affirmation to Mom's statement.

_Jeez!_

"So, no more threats. You both should be happy that your kids have found the people who love them and you know everything about," Mom chided.

"That's what I'm afraid of…" Charlie trailed off and narrowed his eyes at me.

_Gulp_.

"Charlie, you were the one who'd mentioned how Edward has changed these last few weeks. You know well enough that the way he was acting last year or so wasn't normal. We've already explained it. You also know I already consider Bella a daughter to me, so, I would kick my son's ASS if he hurts her in anyway." Mom gave me a warning look.

_Double gulp._

"Whoaaa, Mom just said 'Ass'…" Em teased earning a glare from Mom.

"Plus, you almost already predicted all this. You and Carlisle have even betted on it on the plane; and I guess you've won. I mean, you already told me that you've asked Edward to take care of Bella before you left. You were already doing it subconsciously. So, come on. You need to give them a chance… please? For me?" Mom asked him sweetly.

_AW! __Mom, thank you._

Charlie thought for a second then sighed.

"Fine, I'll allow it," he conceded.

The whole room erupted into cheers and applause. Even JC was flailing with his hands excitedly. I wrapped Bella tightly in my arms.

"I love you," I whispered in her ear and kissed her just below it, making her shudder.

_God, I love doing that to her…_

"I love you, too," she whispered back and tightened her arms around me, burying her face in my chest.

"But…" Charlie said loudly, stopping all the cheers.

"Rules and terms of the _extent_ of this relationship, till your graduation, will be addressed further at a later time," he said.

Mom and Dad nodded in agreement.

"Fine," Bella and I said together with big smiles.

"Well, isn't this a happy Moment? Dad, Mom, Chief Swan, don't you think that due to this happy occasion, that those punishments should be waived?" Em gave them a dimpled wide smile.

"No," the three parents said together.

"Well, at least it was worth a try," he told us and pouted.

Our parents talked amongst themselves for about ten minutes then turned to us.

"Esme, honey, Charlie, if you'll allow me to relay the discussed punishments?" Dad asked the other adults, who nodded at him.

"So, Em, since you were so eager to hear about punishments, let's discuss yours first," Dad said with an evil smile.

Em groaned and shook his head.

"Em, you'll work at the hospital for three hours on a daily basis, except on football practice days and weekends, till the end of the term. You'll be helping them enter records, learn about the existing system and how the processes flow. So that by end of term, you'll need to come up with some kind of _improvement_ or a better work _solution _to their current work processes and system," Dad said quietly and Em nodded mutely.

"Rose, you'll work at the hospital for three hours on a daily basis, except on Cheerleading practice days and weekends, till the end of term. You'll help with any auto-maintenance needed at the hospital; including helping procure parts for those vehicles by cutting good deals with venders and such. And by the end of term, you'll be submitting a database of all the needed parts, where to get them and any recommendations you come up with," Dad told Rose.

"Yes, Dr. Cullen." Rose nodded.

"Good. Now, General Jasper and Captain Alice, you'll both be working on cases given to you by Charlie. You'll go to the station each day for three hours after school and he'll give you out assignments and let you know what to do," Dad told them and looked at Charlie who nodded.

"I expect you there at 3:30 pm. _Sharp_," Charlie told them seriously.

"Yes, Sir." Jasper and Alice responded with a nod.

"I guess that leaves Bella and you, Edward," Dad said calmly.

"Bella, your punishment was decided by Charlie. You'll put in three hours on daily bases at the hospital library – well, at least what we would like to call a library," Dad quipped and Charlie snorted.

"Anyway, your main purpose is to cover the needs of hospital staff and patients of all ages. Make sure there are decent _up_-_to_-_date_ periodic, medical magazines and whatever you deem liable to be found at a hospital library. You might be asked to do a 'story hour' for kids at the nursery, at times.

"Also, you will work on contacting different donators or vendors to acquire those needed books, magazines… etc. You'll also try your best to make it look presentable. By the end of term, you'll leave a database of vendors and a list of recommendations on how to maintain a well-kept library. I'll make sure you are allowed to bring JC to work with you," Dad told her calmly.

Bella looked at Charlie for a minute then looked back at Dad.

"I'll do it. I'm sorry again, Dr. Cullen. I really didn't mean for anyone to get in trouble. I realize that even with these punishments, we're almost escaping what we did easily. But, the purpose behind these punishments won't escape us… or at least me. I'm sorry again. Sorry, guys," Bella said in a small voice, nodding at the guys.

"I'm glad to hear that, Bells," Charlie said with a smile.

"And last, but not least, Mr. Edward Anthony Cullen, or maybe I should say… _Doctor_ Edward Anthony Cullen," Dad said with an evil smirk.

_Gulp._

"Honey…" Mom trailed off warningly.

"Oh, honey, he might have only liked the dress up part… but he will _certainly_ be paying for it," Dad told Mom while his steely gaze never left mine.

"Edward, since you are so keen on wearing a doctor's outfit, we're replacing your football uniform with scrubs. Thus, there will be no football for you this year," Dad stated seriously.

"What?!" we all bellowed.

"Awww! Maaaan! We were counting on Edward to win the game this year! He's the fastest one out there," Em whined.

Dad fixed Em with the famous Cullen 'blue' glare that got him to shut up right away.

_Damn those Cullen blues!_

"Edward, you'll start a three-hour shift on a daily basis, except on weekends, at the hospital. You'll shadow me and monitor whatever I'm doing whenever I'm there, and when I'm not available, you'll start working on your pre-med subjects in the hospital library. I'll order all the needed books and you can work on taking at least two online classes. I heard from some of my colleagues that quite few of the Harvard professors had moved to UW, so, you can get a great opportunity there, tutoring under the best people. By end of term, you need to get an above 'B' average in those two classes, given your 4.0 GPA at school is unscathed. If your grades start to drop, more privileges will be taken away from you. Is that clear?" Dad asked me quietly.

_No, it's cloudy with a chance of fuckety._

"Yes, sir." I answered in a clipped tone.

_So not fair!_

"Now, you all need to know that these punishments can be turned into your own advantage," Dad said in a more relaxed manner.

"If you have noticed, your punishments were somehow derived from your interests. All the hours you put during this term will be added to your credit and you'll be getting letters of recommendations for them. If you'd like to start taking online classes, this might give you a head start into university and you'll get the chance to graduate early.

"So, you might as well know, before this incident took place, we parents, were talking about offering you a lifetime opportunity," Dad said and smiled at Mom when he saw our curious gazes.

"As you know, you all have been working hard to gather money for your tuitions. We also know that some of you, like Em and Rose, have been dragging their school graduation by taking more advanced classes in hopes of getting more credits even though they are almost University level now," Dad stated looking at Em and Rose.

They both nodded at him, confirming what he said.

"While others have been trying to take extra classes including advanced ones to catch up to those who are about to graduate." He looked at me and Jazz and we nodded in confirmation.

"That's true," Bella confirmed beside me and I gave her a knowing smile.

Of course! I mean we were sharing almost all my classes; except that one with _Mikey_ _mouse._

_UGH!_

"And my little girl has been doing _just_ that, only on an _extensive_ level." Dad looked at Alice who nodded at him.

That was true.

I was taking so many advanced subjects that I was already at Em's level. Alice, on the other hand, was a year younger than I was, but still had managed to take extra courses and exams to get to my level and almost Em's.

Personally, I think pixie had been talking the teachers and principal's heads off, trying to get them to let her take higher level subjects.

Judge Jasper denies that completely, while I say the Jury is still out on this one.

"So, the offers are as follows. If you, Em and Rose, manage to do a great job this term, by covering your assignments along with keeping excellent grades and taking the online courses we've talked about, Mr. Whitlock will talk to the board of directors at UW, since we know you have applied there, to consider giving you an early-admission scholarships." Dad stopped when Em started cheering loudly and Rose squealed like a five-year old.

"That's not all," Dad smiled, "As you know, Mr. Hale is a proprietor; he told us that he owns a small condo building near UW. He agreed to lease us an apartment which the parents will pay for as a gift to Em and Rose if they finish this term as required _successfully_. So, you both don't need to worry about lease money. You just need to work for your pocket money and daily expenses," Dad finished.

"Fuck yeah! You've got yourself a deal, Dr. Cullen," Em boomed.

"Language, Em!" Mom snapped and Rose slapped him on the back of his head.

"Ouch! Why do you keep doing that?!" Em snapped at Rose.

"'Cause that's the least used part of your body, there's no harm in injuring it."

"You know that's not true, baby," Em chuckled.

We rolled our eyes at him.

_But what about us?_

I looked at Dad expectantly and he smiled, feigning ignorance at my gaze.

"So, what about us? Is this only for Em and Rose? We are all doing excellent, you know," I said impatiently.

"Always so impatient…" Dad huffed.

Mom and Charlie rolled their eyes. "You're one to talk," Mom quipped, giving him pointed look.

"Like father like son," Charlie said quietly, not even looking at Dad.

"Hey, I'm not impatient!" Dad turned his full attention to Mom and Charlie.

"Of course, he's patient, Charlie. After all, he waited patiently till I turned eighteen to get married," Mom joked.

"Esme, please don't give them _more_ ideas. And, Carlisle, I swear if my daughter gets married to your son on her eighteenth birthday, you're a dead man. No daughter of mine is getting married before finishing High school if not University!" Charlie threatened.

"Dad!" Bella chided indignantly while glaring at Charlie.

Dad and I glared at Charlie, and then Dad looked at me and pursed his lips. He stared at me for a second then smiled slowly. I smiled my own slow smile in return.

_Oh, I know what you're thinking, __Dad._

"Son, you won't marry Bella _on_ her eighteenth birthday, since there are lives at stake here," Dad gave me an evil smirk.

"You got my word, Dad." I gave him my word with a smirk of my own.

Dad nodded and he gave the 'are you satisfied?' look to Charlie. Charlie nodded cautiously and leaned back again.

"As for you, guys, the offer is the same for scholarships and condos. Only, you four need to work for the second term as well, to catch up to next year's Uni. applications and scholarships. Deal?" Dad asked us.

"Deal!" we said in unison.

"So, are we clear on not breaking the law again? No secrets. No half-truths," Charlie said those last few words, looking pointedly at Bella.

We all nodded and agreed.

"Yes, Dad, but… I get to keep JC with me when I go to Uni," Bella said sweetly.

Charlie looked at me and smirked, while I internally groaned.

_Love, you're killing me here._

Chief of Cock-block_ville_ knew exactly what I was thinking. If I had planned on marrying Bella after high school, JC staying with us meant that chances of Bella and I getting into 'business' were slim to none.

_Don't get me wrong, I love JC, way too much_. But still, I needed my own loving time; which would be a lot, if I'm with Bella, _alone_.

And the fucker KNEW IT!

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Bells," Charlie told her sweetly with his smirk still in place.

_FUCK!_

"Yes!" The girls cheered while the guys sniggered at my dilemma.

I glared at them. _We'll see about that, assholes_. _Bella will be a Cullen after we're married. I'll just make sure that the Swans stay put in Forks; the 'Seclude Swan' plan was already forming in my mind. Sorry, JC, my boy, you'll get to see her on holidays. I promise to get you bigger presents though._

"It's getting late. You all, head to bed now. Go on," Mom told us with a smile.

"Bells, you wanna come home or stay here for the night?" Charlie asked.

"Oh, I'll stay here tonight, if you don't mind, since I already have everything set. I'll just come with you to grab a couple of things from my room," Bella replied while holding JC who was sleeping in her arms.

"I'll come with you," I said and stood beside her.

"In case you need any help, that is," I added quickly when I saw Charlie's glare.

Alice came and stood beside us, looking more troubled than before, with Jazz standing beside her.

"Bella, how about you let Mom put JC in bed while we go and get what you need. I'll help you," Ali offered.

"Sure, Alice. Esme, would you mind?" Charlie asked Mom.

"Not at all. Come here, Angel," Mom smiled and took JC from Bella's arms.

The three of us, along with Charlie, made our way to the Swan's.

"Why so grim, Alice? You're off the hook now. You don't need to be so scared," Charlie quipped, trying to soothe my sister.

She gave him a small smile and nodded her head.

"I hope so. But I can't shake the feeling that something is off," Alice told Charlie agitatedly.

He looked at her confused, while Bella sprinted upstairs to get her things, muttering that she'd be right back. We all followed her with our gaze from where we stood in the hall.

"You mean like _doing_ something you were _not_ supposed to do?" Charlie smirked at Pixie.

Suddenly, Alice's eyes widened and she gasped, her face turning into a mask of fear like she had just seen a ghost.

"No! Just the opposite!" She shook her head and looked at Charlie in horror.

"Just like, NOT doing something we were _supposed_ to do! Oh my God, I just hope… NO!" Alice gasped in horror and sprinted to the stairs.

We looked at her like she had lost her mind, just as Bella's high-pitch scream echoed in the house.

"BELLA!" Charlie and I yelled in horror.

**End Chapter ****Twenty**

**A/N: ****Guess who is back! So, my sweets? How was it? Next chapter, we'll get to see what Alice was talking about and what happened to Bella… Please, review and tell me your thoughts of what happened :) also, please don't forget to vote ;)**

**Luv ya!**


	25. Chapter 21

**Summary**: Parents' death left her with a new-born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's. How'd she cope her unsaid secrets with the green-eyed jerk's advances and the unknown lurking danger, EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessiveward. Razzle Dazzle & Silent Tear Nmnee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**A/N: Hey, guys! ****I hope all is well. I have missed you so much. Well, firstf is first… as you know YDKA has been nominated for a Silent Tear Award, for the 'Best Edward & Bella' category; I want to thank each and every one of you who supported me and my story there… even if I didn't win; the nomination alone was a HUGE honor! I hope this chapter will be a good treat for all of you.**

**To all of you my amazing readers, I name…**

LizHartzog5813, acw1, Angelwells, tatie1970, IGOTEAMEDWARD, Ice Fata, Nik2010, robsmofm, Deadly Desires 09, maggiejoma, rayekay, lalibare, superantona, laceyndom, lilquackers77, ladysharkey1, Litany Gone, Lori94, KatyAtAll, RoseArcadia, flyrbrd, gossip-bangkok, amandaolsson, mountainlion718, April, weirdsister1905, amwine, mellicious secret, AKEMI SHIKON, b3j02, jackspergirl, lovingit3, snusa, cvds, MzCoqueta, aerobee82, Soccer11, ashley1023, bitandhooked, edward4life1, lionandthelamb24, may-bell-rose, Nez93, reesessweetie, Mels78, mommyof3boys, twilightmom1, Kefe, twilightgirl80, MoriaAngel, mad4hugh, xneverthinkx, Callie1515, Lavianca, Kimmie39, LyndsBaby, twilight4u, foxjessica70, jenie16788, LoveThoseVampires, aliciataz, flame55, TraceyJ, Twilight-boo, Courtney37, jktwi19, EdwardsBrunette2, Kynicole, SweetHart2BME, caseytabwizz, Mscutie331, SRVampire, Madam Monet, 2lilangels, BellaCullenPR, babylopez2008, ajendas, Twilvr17, Twilightie, RingTheBella, Jennmc75, emroseliz, beignet, mel, Emmii, Angel Dee, CitizenCullen25, shaz308, OmTrOcKiT1o1, NATwilight, EmraePenne, iwantacullentoo, FiorellaM, fish525, 1twifan4evr, mommyamybee, DoubleAgentA, sharon89, dontrun, ho0ii, alsotwilightandedwardfan, turquoise1581, Lillie Cullen, blackagurl, snv3, tam1116, QuueenElizabeth, LyfINTeknicolor, doves1993, Hope4more, JuicePopper, venichel sangalang, MrsEdwardCullenP, gloomywanderer, iamawickedchild, TheseViolentEnds, IndiaIdania, nktwiworld, marysway, star fire, xxkissesandcuddlesxx, robertnkristen, 71star, Giaah, gothgirl1245, LoveHopeAndAllThatShit, amgrant3, betsmecullen, kristyv, Nonita, loulouau, ginnmeadows, TWILIGHT QUEEN, ImBitten2, angel04une, Nauni, dementedevilpixie, Kira-Razor, readingmama, luv4jake, valerieval, Mary, Babe Pryor, radiate689, MyriadProBold and teamedwardtwilightfan

**You are all AMAZING! With your continuous support this story has become what it is now :) I really hope that I haven't missed any of your names ;)**

**Special shout out** to the awesomeness called **Kefe** for **betaing **my chapter. You are just AMAZING, bb :) It was a short notice and since I'm leaving for vacation to London, she's to thank for this quick post. Boy you should have seen the mess she got to clean in this chapter lol thanks again bb :) Please, check out her latest stories **A Tangled Web **and **Love is Hell** Both equally awesome and are in my favorites' list.

I didn't even get the chance to send it to my sweetest **Kelli (Breath-of-Twilight)** to have a look at it. Luv ya too bb :) please check out her stories also in my favorites.

To my MUST read stories (all in my favorites' list)…

"**Like a Moth to A Flame" **&** "Sweet Treats and Deadbeats" **by** CitizenCullen25 **you're always in my mind bb :) even if I'm not twittering ;)

**"Freeze Frame****"** & **"Shipwrecked" **by **Jewels64** you are awesome, and I hope that things will look up again for you bb :) Luv ya!

**"Homecoming" **& **"Prodigal Returns" **by **dontrun** can't get enough of those updates ;) XOXO to my sweet Alex.

**Now without further ado, here it is…**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter ****Twenty-One**

Charlie and I flew after Alice, almost tripping over each other, trying to get fast to Bella.

I could feel the veins in my body pulsing so hard that I thought I would explode. The sound of Bella's blood-curdling scream was still echoing in my ears.

Charlie and I reached the top of the stairs to find the girls standing outside Bella's room, facing away. Alice was holding Bella tightly to her, while Bella's form was shaking with violent sobs.

Charlie took in their sight, took his gun out and bolted into Bella's room holding his gun preparing for any sign of danger. I didn't even look in the room's direction. I was just relieved that Bella was here.

"Love, are you okay? What is it? What happened? Did you hurt yourself? Is someone in there?" I asked frantically and pulled her into my arms. Alice's tears were streaming down her cheeks and, she kept muttering apologies for being so negligent.

fI heard loud curses coming from Charlie. I looked in Bella's room direction and noticed that the whole floor was matted with clothes and items.

_What the fuck happened in there?_

I heard Charlie talking on his phone and asking for back up.

"Oh God, Edward. All the blood! I… Oh God!" Bella said between hiccups.

_Blood?_

I leaned back and gave her a once over to make sure there was nothing wrong with her. Once I confirmed, I wrapped her in my arms again.

"Shhhh… you're okay. No one will hurt you. You're safe," I cooed as I tightened my grip on her.

I kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back. I un-wrapped one arm from around Bella, then hugged Alice who was now fully sobbing like Bella.

I took another look at the room and noticed that a few items were tainted with blood.

I cursed under my breath and looked at Alice who was shaking her head at me.

"Oh God, it's my fault, Edward," Alice said between hiccups.

I furrowed my brows at her and rubbed her back.

"What are you talking about, Ali? You didn't do anything wrong?" I asked her.

She shook her head and looked at Bella.

"After we got back from school, we came here to get a few things from Bella's room. And since the room smelled a bit stuffy, we opened the window a bit. We forgot to lock up," she said miserably.

"That's what's been haunting me all night. I was responsible for locking up and I totally forgot about it. And now look what had happened." Alice continued to sob.

"Alice, that's not your fault," Charlie told her, "It was something bound to happen. What happened in that room was planned ahead; you just gave the person who did this a _window_ of opportunity," he seethed beside me, "_literally_, that is."

If I'd ever thought Charlie was scary before, then I was thoroughly mistaken.

His face was pale and his body was rigid. He looked like a person who was about to commit murder. Murder with his own hands. I noticed his hands twitching when he looked at his daughter who was sobbing softly, trying not to look to the direction of her room. He made a move to take her from my arms and hug her, but the guys' running up the stairs interrupted him.

"What happened? Did someone get hurt?" Dad ran up the stairs with the family in tow.

Alice threw herself in Jazz's arms once he appeared from behind Dad.

"Someone broke into my house. Someone was in _my_ daughter's room. Some PSYCHO was in MY house! The Chief of fucking POLICE!" Charlie bellowed to no one, his face turning beet red.

Bella flinched and trembled in my arms at her father's yell.

Dad stood at the Bella's door, cursing at the scene that I was yet to see. I saw Jazz coaxing Alice in his arms so that he could take a look at the room. He blanched, averted his eyes and moved to stand beside me.

Em and Rose came running up the stairs but were held back by Charlie, who told them it was a crime scene that was very disturbing. Apparently, Mom had already taken JC home.

"Did you see the room?" Jazz asked me quietly with a frown on his face.

I shook my head and he gestured with a nod towards the room, as if telling me to go see.

I looked around and saw Charlie and Dad talking. Well, if you'd call 'Charlie yelling and Dad trying to calm him down' talking, then yes, they were talking.

Em and Rose were standing a few steps below and looking at us quizzically.

I moved slowly, trying to take a look inside the room, but was stopped by Bella.

"Please, don't go," Bella pleaded still hiccupping.

"I'm not going anywhere, love. I just want to take a look," I told her, kissing her forehead.

"No, please. Please, Edward, don't look." Bella pleaded again with her watery eyes.

I could hear the sirens blaring, as they gained distance, and knew this would be my only chance to check the thing that freaked out the guys like that.

Luckily, Charlie came and pulled Bella from my arms. He hugged her and informed her what was going to happen as soon as the troops arrived.

I looked around, noticing that no one was looking at me, and then took the few remaining steps to stand at Bella's door.

I was assaulted right away with the smell of blood. The whole room was a mess. Clothes, which were torn and stained with blood, were strewn across the floor. None of the big furniture items were moved, which, I suspect, was to avoid any disturbance.

But the sight that drained all color from my face was Bella's bed. There laid a dead baby deer, its neck was slit with a knife and drenched in blood that covered all the sheets. Its head was positioned on Bella's pillow to mimic a sleeping person. Above the headboard there were five words, written in blood, which got my knees buckling.

'Watching over you, my deer'.

I even noticed how 'dear' was spelled like 'deer' the animal, which I'm sure was on purpose, since he had left that animal there.

My body swayed a bit as I imagined this sick psycho-fuck near my Bella in anyway at anytime.

So, he's been _watching_ her?

When?

Where?

A lot of 'what if's' crossed my mind.

_What if I hadn't been__ with Bella all the time?_

_What if I wasn't with her when this psycho did this?_

_What if something happened to Bella? Period._

I turned around rigidly, pulled Bella out of Charlie's embrace and hugged her so tightly that it knocked the breath out of the both of us.

I looked over Bella's shoulder to find Charlie's pale face staring at me.

We locked gaze for a few seconds till someone called for him. He shook his head turning to answer whoever had called him. But he stopped, turned his head, mouthed 'thank you' and left.

_Thank you?_

He should kill me, or at least maim me; but no… instead, he's _thanking_ me.

The guys and I stepped aside, allowing enough space for the team to get into the room.

"So, I guess I'm not gonna need anything from my room after all…" Bella sniffled and buried her face in my shirt again.

"I'm sorry, love," I whispered and tightened my grip around her.

"Alice, when did you open Bella's window?" Charlie asked.

Alice looked at us, sniffling.

"Uh… it was this afternoon, around 4 pm," Alice said in a small voice.

"Did you see anything off with the room when you came here?" Charlie asked in full cop mode.

"No. Everything was in place, Dad," Bella answered before Alice could.

"Has anyone been to the house after that?" Charlie asked, looking at us expectantly.

"Yes, Chief Swan. Jasper and Alice came to rearrange a few things in the house before the Agents came. Then Rosie and I came here to do our role. But we didn't go upstairs when we came here, we stayed downstairs," Em answered as he held Rose's shaky form. I guess she had looked inside the room too.

Charlie nodded and looked at Bella with ashen face.

"Is it him? Is it that crazy murderer you told us about?" Bella asked him softly.

"We don't know that yet, Bells," Charlie shook his head, "but my personal guess is that it's him." His mouth now set in a hard line.

"Carlisle, would you please take the guys to your house? It's gonna be a long night for me," Charlie told Dad.

Dad nodded at him.

"Oh, and just a few pointers before you go. Stay together. I don't want any of you staying alone at any point in time. Make sure that at least one person knows where you are all the time. As for those punishments, we'll shift them to start next week." Charlie looked at Dad who nodded back at him.

"Let's go, guys." Dad led the way, dodging the police officers as he went.

We followed silently behind him, the girls sniffling a bit and holding to the guys like their lives depended on it.

We entered our house and met my worried Mom in the hall.

"What happened? Did anyone get hurt?" Mom asked us worriedly.

"Someone broke into Isabella's bedroom." Dad laid it flat.

Mom gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. She came to stand in front of Bella.

"Are you okay, honey? You wanna talk about it?" Mom asked softly.

To my amazement, Bella pulled herself from my arms and threw herself into Mom's arms, bawling her eyes out.

"Shhhh… it's okay, dear. Everything will be okay. You're safe. Shhhh…" Mom soothed her.

"Oh, Esme, it was horrible. What if JC was there or even Edward or any of the guys for that matter! He could have hurt them," she said between sobs.

I looked at her incredulously. She was worried about us?

The guys and Dad and Mom looked at her like she had lost her mind.

Mom and Dad looked at each other then, not sure on how to break it to her that the psycho was after her.

"Um, you realize that the psycho who broke into your room wanted _you_ and not anyone else, right, Bells?" Em asked her skeptically.

"Em!" Rose bellowed indignantly, making Bella flinch.

Dad, who was standing the closest to Em, smacked him hard on the back of his head.

"Ouch!" Em yelped and glared at Dad.

"I guess there is really no middle ground between being a jock and computer wiz except air-headedness!" Dad snapped at him.

"Bella honey, you're safe with us. No one will touch you here and I'm sure Edward won't let anything happen to you," Mom told her softly.

"It's not like he's gonna cuff Bella to the bed and guard the door," Em quipped, earning groans from Dad and Jazz.

"Shut up, Em. Don't give him more ideas than what he already has in mind," Jazz snapped and Dad narrowed his eyes at me, giving me warning glances.

I smirked mischievously at the guys. I mean, I know I shouldn't have been thinking about this stuff right now, but my eighteen year old perverted mind said otherwise.

_Come on, guys, give me a little trust._

Cuffing Bella to my bed would be an understatement.

_Can __anyone say "Solitary Confinement"?_

Bella turned to give me a cautious look and I widened my smirk. I would have loved to have her locked up in my room for the rest of my existence. I'd bring her food to our bed… _then eat it off of her; licking and biting as I went._

I gulped and shook my head, willing the _problem_ now swelling in my pants to go away. It was not the time for such matter. A psycho was going after my Bella, and I was thinking of licking cream off her nipples.

I groaned again internally.

"You can sleep in my room if you want, Bella. Maybe, we can have a girls' sleep over with Rose," Alice offered softly. I knew she had her heart in the right place, but there was no way in hell I was gonna let go of Bella tonight, or _any_ night for that matter.

I turned to glare at the evil pixie.

"Not in this life, Pixie," I warned and pulled Bella from Mom's embrace. "I saw what happened when she was out of my sight for even that small period of time. It'll never happen again," I said in an almost clipped tone.

"Never say never," Bella told me.

"It's not fair. I didn't leave the window open on purpose," Alice said sadly as she wiped tears from her eyes.

_Shit! It's not you, pixie!_

I wanted to apologize, but Jazz cut me off.

"Dude, that's not cool. Don't blame it on her. It was an honest mistake. I should be blamed for this. Not her!" he snapped at me furiously.

"Shit, Jazz, I didn't mean it like that. I didn't mean to blame any of you. I was just thinking that it's because I left Bella's side, that's why we're all in this shit," I apologized, yanking on my hair roughly.

Jazz and Alice looked at me and nodded. That was when Bella pulled herself out of my arms and glared at me.

"Hey, don't you _dare_ blame this on yourself!" Bella seethed. Then she looked at the others.

"None of you should take the blame. It was my fault all along. I was the one who opened the damn window. I should have closed it after ten minutes just as Alice instructed. But I was too damn distracted getting ready and thinking of the Agents and all. I'm just glad none of you was harmed," Bella said in a strong voice, which was surprising since she was crying not long ago.

"I can't expect you to be around me all the time, Edward. As much as I'd love to have you around, that's just not gonna happen. And, I'm just glad that I was there with Alice in my room. I can't even imagine-" Bella continued tiredly, but I cut her off.

"What? What would you have done?" I snapped at her making her jump and take a step back.

She just had to blaming herself! _She thinks I can't be around her all the time. Well, now. She'll just have to wait and fucking see._

"I should have been there, Bella. I shouldn't have had you out of my sight. I mean, look what happened. Plus, what kind of fight tactics you think you have against a full-grown man who did _that_ in your room, huh?" I narrowed my eyes as I took a step towards her.

I saw her tremble a bit and take a tentative step back.

"Edward," Dad warned softly, still standing in the hall with us.

I raised my hand, stopping him from saying anything else.

"I could have fought him," Bella said, trying to look tough.

"Really?" I chuckled humorlessly, then took another step towards her.

"Yeah." Her voice trembled a bit as her back hit the wall behind her.

"Edward, you're scaring her," Mom warned.

I kept my gaze locked with Bella's for a full minute, not saying a word.

"Well, love. I'm not going to stand here and argue with you on the possibility of you fighting anyone, 'cause here are how things are gonna happen," I told her in a stern voice.

Bella gulped and shifted on her legs.

"Starting this moment, you are not leaving my sight. And I mean _never_. You are not to go anywhere alone, not even in this house. Even when you want to go to the bathroom, I'll check it before you go in. At school, you're already in the classes I'm taking, so you'll be with me at all times, except for the time you're in with Jazz." I stopped and narrowed my eyes at her when she rolled her eyes at me.

"You won't be going into bathrooms with the girls, except when escorted by one of us guys. We'll go into the bathroom, check that everything is safe, then you can go in _with _one of said guys waiting in the bathroom outside of the stalls," I told her calmly, thinking of how to accomplish that.

Bella raised her brows in question.

"We'll manage it at the time," I said.

I raised my hand, cutting her off when she tried to protest.

"Mom, if you don't mind, can you take care of JC for the duration of the investigation till everything is safe?" I asked Mom.

"Of course, son, I was going to do it anyway. He'll be safe and sound here at home, when you come back from school." Mom smiled warmly at us.

"Uhhumm…" Dad cleared his throat gaining our attention.

"Honey, you won't be at home tomorrow," Dad told Mom with a smile.

She looked at him confused.

"Where else would I be, dear?" She asked him doubtfully.

"You'll be at the hospital with me. You can use my office for your work, instead of working from home. I'll be calling the security company to see if I can upgrade the security here at the house," he informed her with a tight smile.

"Honey, don't you think you're a bit over-reacting? I mean—" she stopped when she saw Dad's glare.

"Ditto on that scenario, Edward." Em nodded at me and tightened his grip on Rose, who was now glaring at him.

"Hey!" Rose snapped.

"Same here," Jazz said and smiled at Alice.

"Hey, guys, don't you think you're over-reacting a bit?" Bella asked in a small voice.

We all turned and glared at her, including Mom and Dad. I mean, this whole predicament was because of her and she didn't even realize it.

"Sheesh! I was just saying-" she stopped when I took another step towards her and pulled her into my arms.

"If you want, I can run my suggestion by the Chief to see if he approves…" I trailed off with a smirk.

I knew threatening her with her dad was a low blow, but I was desperate now.

"Hey, that's not fair," she said sadly, lowering her gaze to the ground.

I sighed and kissed her temple. She couldn't even imagine how scared I was of the thought of her being hurt in anyway.

"Please, love, let me take care of you. At least until the psycho is caught?" I asked her softly, rubbing her back.

She relaxed and released a long sigh. That's when I knew that I won that argument.

"Fine. But only till the psycho is gone," she warned.

I nodded and sealed our agreement with a quick peck on the lips.

"Deal." I smiled.

"So, we know what to do. Guys, I hate to emphasize on the gravity of what's happening right now…" Dad started, before we made our way upstairs.

Then he talked a few minutes about what's expected to happen and best way to deal with this thing - like staying together all the time and making sure we have our cell phones… etc.

"I know that Bella would need to go shopping tomorrow to get a few…" Dad trailed off at the glare he got from Alice, then corrected himself quickly.

"I mean, a _lot_ of things tomorrow, so, I'll ask Charlie to send a cop with you guys to the mall in the afternoon. I'm sure he'll be the one to offer it though," Dad concluded and said his 'goodnight'.

I noticed how Bella looked weary at the end of Dad's speech.

"Bella, come to my room for a second, I'll give you an outfit for tomorrow's school day and shopping trip." Alice said, then held Bella's hand and dragged her to her room.

Jazz and I chuckled as we left the girls to go to my room, in hopes of checking out what was happening in Bella's bedroom.

~~~o~~~

Murderers give you boners.

No. Correction,

Murderers give you _major _boners.

It's a fact and it's easily proved.

How? You ask me.

It's pretty simple, you see.

Murderer + Bella's room = No Bella clothes.

No Bella clothes + Pixie = Pixie clothes - _cause the 'No Bella' eliminates the 'Bella' factor._

Pixie clothes = small clothes.

Small clothes + Bella = Big fucking major Boner!

After a restless night, Ali knocked on the door and entered in the wee hours of the morning, saying something about needing to work on Bella's outfit.

"Ali, we already chose the outfit, I just need to put it on. Can you let me sleep for a minute?" Bella said, then she buried her face in my chest.

"Bella, how can you say that? Trust me. I have a plan. Now MOVE!" Alice snapped.

"Pixie, go away, we haven't had much sleep last night," I said in a gruff voice.

She tried to drag Bella out of bed, but I held onto Bella like my life depended on it, with future thoughts of electrocuting the door knob.

"Edward, JC is up, so she needs to get up _anyway_," Ali told us.

On cue, JC's whimpers came from his bassinet.

fBella and I groaned. Alice smirked evilly.

"Damn it, Ali. You woke him up, didn't you?" I snapped at her, then sprang out of bed and darted to the bathroom to take a shower.

Standing by the doorway, I waited for Bella to come down for breakfast.

JC was fed, dressed, taken care of and seated in his baby seat, waiting for his trip with Mom and Dad to the hospital.

Chief Swan, looking like a sick pale zombie, sat beside me at the breakfast table drinking his morning coffee and eating his breakfast.

"Aren't you guys gonna be late for school? Where are Bella and Alice?" Charlie asked quietly. That was probably the first thing he said since he sat at the table.

"Alice is getting Bella ready for school today." Jazz huffed and checked the time.

"Huh? Since when does Bella need help getting ready? She usually takes less time than me getting ready." Charlie said.

"Bless her," Jazz and I said at the same time, shaking our heads.

"We're ready." Ali stood in the kitchen doorway, with a blushing Bella behind her.

"Bells? You okay?" Charlie asked her worriedly when he noticed that she was silent.

"Bella, come on, show them the outfit." Alice took a step to the side, revealing what Bella was wearing.

_Or rather… NOT _wearing_._

Her outfit consisted of extra skinny black jeans that rested pretty snugly against her hips, showing all her curves, and a beautiful black, almost see-through, simple shirt. Well, not almost see-through. It's a fucking see-through shirt, because I could see her fucking black lacy bra underneath. The shirt wound a bit short, that the hem didn't even meet her jeans. So, a generous sliver of her mid-section showed. Her hair was styled in soft curls falling softly on her back. Wearing only little makeup, she stood there all nervous and fidgeting in her place.

She looked all kinds of vulnerable and _beautiful_.

Not quite beautiful as much as she looked _breathtaking!_

And I was going to kill Alice!

"What the hell, Ali? Are you crazy? There's no way she's getting out of this house like this. Were you even there at her house last night?" I snapped loudly, getting up and knocking off my chair, not caring that Bella's father was sitting right beside me.

Charlie cleared his throat, making Bella blush some more.

"Mom, can you give Bella some of your clothes?" I turned and asked Mom.

"Alice honey, don't you think that _those_ clothes are _not_ appropriate for school?" Charlie tried to say calmly, but his face was showing how much he was 'not okay' with this.

Dad came into the kitchen, upon hearing my outburst, and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Bella.

"What the…?" Dad trailed off and looked furiously at Alice.

"Alice! I thought you offered Bella _school_ clothes! Scratch that. I thought you offered her clothes. Period!" Dad seethed at Alice.

"Guys, I have a plan," Pixie said with a smirk, not caring about the glares.

"Ali honey, whatever that plan is. I think you can tune it down a bit, don't you think?" Mom told her gently as she came to usher Bella out of the kitchen.

"No! Wait. Just listen for a minute. Please," Alice pleaded softly.

"Not gonna happen," I snapped and made my way to Bella who hid herself behind Alice.

_Huh! Like that's gonna work._

"Edward, guys, Alice has a really _good_ plan. Please, at least hear her out," Bella pleaded, then ran away from me and sat beside her dad.

I glared at her.

"Well, for starters, as Esme said, we can tune it down a bit. But I'm not opposing to hearing your plan, Ali," Charlie said quietly, turning to Jazz.

"Or maybe you should explain, General Jasper, since this was your plan in the first place?" Charlie looked at Jazz, quirking an eyebrow at him.

_What?_

I turned slowly to where Jazz was sitting quietly. Dad raised his hand before I could say a word.

"What is it this time, Jasper? More brilliant ideas?" Dad asked quietly but narrowed his eyes at him.

I leaned my back against the counter and crossed my arms. I glared at Jazz who didn't look fazed at all.

"Well, someone had to think of something and fast. We are at an advantage point here. Alice and Bella seem to agree with me on this," Jazz said in his quiet manner as he sipped his coffee.

"Well, let's hear it," Charlie said, not taking his eyes off Jazz who kept the eye lock with Charlie.

"Well. We all know that what happened last night was tragic. What I need to know before I say anything, though… Charlie, were there any clues that last night attacker was the same person as the psycho killer?" Alice asked Charlie calmly.

The colour drained from Charlie's face at the memory. He contemplated a bit and nodded.

"But that stays in this room," he added and we all nodded.

The faces in the kitchen went pale at his declaration, but Bella's face was the palest.

Charlie reached his arm and gave Bella a one-arm hug and kissed her on the top of her hfead.

"Okay. Here is the plan. It's pretty simple really. I believe last night's attack was triggered by something related to Bella or her actions. Now, the only places Bella goes to are: School, Day Care and Port Angeles, _occasionally_. And today, we are gonna go to all these three places, try to retrace our steps from our last visit to Port Angeles, then we'll see what happens," Alice stated confidently.

"We are _not_ going to use Bella as bait. Period." I seethed.

"Edward, whoever is out there will continue to haunt us, unless we do something about it. And _quickly_. Do you want us to stay in fear all the time? What if he attacks when we least expect it. At least this way, we know that we can lure him out. If Bella acts like nothing happened, it will definitely provoke the psycho," Jazz replied heatedly.

"Don't you see what's going on, Edward? It's either she's the bait or the prey…" Ali said trailing off and giving me a pointed look.

I hated it when she was right.

"And it's gonna be alright, Edward. I know it," she assured me softly.

"We believe this guy will be lurking somewhere, hoping to see the fruit of his action. He'll want to see how much he terrorized Bella. But guess what he'll find? He'll see that nothing has changed for Bella. That it was only a matter of _inconvenience_ that she'd overcome by borrowing some clothes from her friend, yet, still looking as hot as ever." Jazz winked at Bella, who blushed a bit.

"And as Dr. Cullen said, the Chief can have a cop follow us. Conspicuously would be better. And the whole gang is going to be there at all times. We just need to entice him out of his hiding, that's all. I wouldn't have proposed such a plan if I had thought for one moment that Bella would be in danger," Jazz said indignantly.

"Plus, I wouldn't have gone through this if we hadn't asked Bella first. And again, don't forget that we have the advantage of hitting the iron while it's still hot. We act fast and he'll try to catch up; and while at it, he would be making a mistake. That's when we can catch him," Alice finished and crossed her arms.

"We've tried your plans before. And look where it got us," I snapped at Alice.

"Well, our plan worked! The glitch in it was simply not foreseen," Alice defended.

"Well now, any glitches in this plan could cause someone his or maybe _her_ life!" I hissed at Alice who shrank back.

"A good offense is your best defense. So, unless you're okay with a repeat of last night's performance or maybe something worse… that's your best option right now, Sir." Jazz ignored me and locked gaze with Charlie.

"Edward, this is our best option. This time, we can have the adults' support," Bella pleaded. I opened my mouth to object, but she turned to Charlie and pleaded.

"Dad, last night was the scariest night of my life. I've never felt such fear before; and I don't want a repeat. Can you help us? If not for me, then do it for JC's safety," Bella implored softly.

"Esme, Carlisle, will you step outside with me for a second?" Charlie asked Mom and Dad, and all the parents stepped outside the kitchen.

"I can't believe you're suggesting this, Jazz. You are way out of line. Would you have done it if it were Alice?" I seethed at Jazz.

I mean, subconsciously, I knew that he meant well; and doubting his intentions was wrong. But that suggestion was a low blow. He shouldn't have even thought of it in the first place.

"Edward, how could you even _think_ that?" Bella snapped at me.

Jazz bolted from his chair, knocking it down.

"Hey! I knew Bella way before I knew Alice, Penny-head. Bella _is_ a sister to me. If you ever insinuate again that I would have acted differently, things will turn ugly between us!" Jazz threatened, glaring daggers at me.

"Sorry, guys. I'm sorry, Jazz. I didn't mean…" I shook my head. Jazz nodded, accepting my apology.

"Guys, I know this is the best idea. And I know that at a moment's notice, this will be our best option. But, I just… this is crazy!" I took a deep breath and tugged at my hair.

"Edward, we can't afford to fight among ourselves right now. We only have each other to trust. If we turn on each other…" Ali trailed off not even daring to complete her thought.

I nodded mutely at her.

They were right. _A good offense is our best defense._

"Alice is right." Charlie came into the kitchen with the other parents. His face was so pale; like he was being led to the guillotine. Dad apparently sensed the Chief's dilemma, so he took over.

"So, we talked. We believe Jasper's idea is a best one at _this_ moment. We have our reservations though. This idea only can work if you all work together. Girls, you can't leave alone, not under any circumstances. It's dangerous enough as it is," Dad told us, then he turned to Bella.

"Bella honey, for some reason, this psycho is fixated on you. You need to make sure that all your steps are careful. There is no room for any mistake. Don't forget that JC's safety is at stake here," Dad told her.

Bella nodded mutely.

"You okay, honey?" Charlie asked Bella who looked like she was going to pass out.

"Yeah, Charlie, I'm fine," Bella croaked, "just peachy."

"Hey, everything will be fine. You've got all of us here. No need to worry. If you don't like the looks anyone is giving you, just point him out to me, hon, I'll take him out for you," Rose quipped and winked at Bella, trying to lighten the mood.

"Thanks, Rose. Thank you all. I'm so sorry that I'm putting all of you in danger." Bella's tears began to leak as she looked apologetically at every one of us.

"Honey, it's not your fault," Mom told her and hugged her for a second as she cried.

"Bella, I can call the school to excuse you from today's classes," Charlie said in a worried tone, not knowing what else to do.

"No, I'm fine. The sooner this is over, the better, right?" Bella sniffled.

"I'll just wash up and we can be on our way," Bella said and made her way to the bathroom.

"I'll help you." Alice followed with Rose behind.

Charlie stopped Bella before she left the kitchen.

"And please, grab a jacket to put on that outfit, will you? As much as I want that son of a bitch caught, I don't want to drive him to extremes. This is suicide," Charlie told her.

Dad nodded and the guys and I agreed whole-heartedly.

She pouted and turned to leave with the girls on her tail.

"I'll take care of Aro, Charlie. You don't need to worry about him today," Dad told Charlie.

Charlie thanked him quietly and patted him on the back.

~~~o~~~

School was hell on earth.

As per usual, of course.

Still today, we got the special of _'Shit with a side of crap with a cherry on top!'_ from the B&B – Bitches & Bastards - Central at Forks High.

I mean, not only did I have to endure Bella dressed like that - even after she put on Mom's jacket – but the B&B of Forks High had to do a thorough job of grating on my already fucked up nerves.

Everyone at school had heard of what happened at Bella's house – as expected. So, naturally, each one of them, except a few ones, offered their own renditions of _could've, would've, should've._

As we walked through the crowds, the bastards had thrown all kinds of comments our way…

'… _maybe Cullen was fuckin' around like he used to…'_

'…_the creep wouldn't have come near her, had he seen her with me…'_

'…_Reckon he had fought the attacker? Look at his eye and hand…'_

As for the bitches, they had different hopes and dreams and they've expressed it freely…

'… _pity he couldn't rid us of her, Cullen would have come back to me then…'_

'… _Is it second or third time is a charm? I'm hoping it's the second time, I can't wait longer…'_

'… _I didn't know Cullen was into necrophilia, look how pale she is…'_

And the last one that I was about to kill the bastard who said it, had it not been for Jazz who held my arm, was…

'… _with that outfit, not sure he would've seen her, cause she wouldn't have been out of my bed much…'_

"Chill, man, Bella is going through the same emotions too, don't you see?" Jazz warned me, then nudged me to look at Bella who was holding to me like her life depended on it.

What worried me the most was how pale she looked.

"Love, are you okay? You wanna go home?" I asked her softly.

She shook her head and sighed.

"No, Edward, I'm fine. I guess we should have known that all these people would know, being it Forks and all. It's just some people are less sensitive than you'd expect," she said and continued walking.

"I just want all this to be over so that we can get on with our life. I mean, worrying about those agents was one thing; but right now I'm worried that some psycho might hurt someone I love and care for. And it's just so overwhelming trying to think of just how…" she trailed off and shook her head again.

"It's better that we're at school, it keeps me from thinking of the worst things that could happen. I just need to keep my thoughts occupied with something right now." She smiled softly, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Well, that's good," Alice said from behind us.

"Our shopping trip, after school, will do just that." Ali smiled sweetly, while Bella's smile vanished.

"Ali, I'm not sure I'm up for it, can I take a rain check?" Bella declined, then looked at me for help.

"Not gonna happen. You said it yourself, you need a distraction. And what better thing to take your mind off everything than shopping." Alice winked at Bella.

Then Alice took my hand and dragged me away for our class, while Bella went with Jazz mouthing 'Help' to me.

I smiled apologetically and shook my head.

At the end of school day, we re-grouped around the two cars. I noticed how Jazz and Bella looked tense.

"You okay, man? Anything happened?" I asked him, while keeping my eye on Bella who was yet to look at me.

"Newton happened." Jazz huffed and shook his head.

I creased my forehead in confusion, then looked at Bella.

"Love, are you okay? Did Newton come on to you?" I asked her worriedly.

"No he did NOT come on to me. Edward, how could you do this to Mike? You hurt him so badly," Bella snapped at me.

I looked at Jazz for explanation.

"The class consisted of us completing a project, so the seating arrangement was changed for this class only. She was seated beside Newton; and God knows what crap he fed her about our last encounter," Jazz told me quickly.

Bella crossed her arms waiting for me to explain.

"Love, we talked about this before. He started it. He-" She cut me off.

"Even though, Edward. You hurt him so bad. What if you caused him permanent damage? You need to control that temper of yours. He could have sued you and got you in jail. Even if he's mistaken, that's no reason to act at such extremes." Bella huffed and went to Em's car, but she turned to me just before she got in.

"And just for your information, Mike was sweet enough to apologize for the way he acted the other day. He, also, said that he will make it up to us. Now, how can someone like that be evil?" She snapped and got into the car.

"I'll talk to her," Alice said softly and got into the car with them.

Jazz and I looked at each other and got into my car. We stopped by a pizza place to eat before heading to Port Angeles. I noticed that Bella didn't even glance my way. We ate quickly, and called Dad and Charlie to give them updates, and Bella talked to Esme to ask her about JC. Almost an hour later, we got back into our cars and drove off.

The trip to Port Angeles was almost quiet. Jazz talked to James on the phone, for a few minutes, to inform him of the latest developments on JC's adoption, the Agents and the attacker. He agreed to meet us at the mall. He said that Vicky would catch up with us later.

I kept sneaking glances at the rearview mirror, noticing the car that had been following us since we left school. It lookedlike Charlie kept his word and provided us with a bodyguard of sorts. That was good.

"What did Mike tell Bella exactly?" I asked Jazz, trying to sound casual.

But, I guess he saw right through my bull, cause he quirked a brow at me.

"Fine. What did ASS-WIPE tell my Bella?" I snapped.

"Well, that's more like it." He snickered at me.

"So?" I prodded.

"I was out of earshot. But from the glimpses I took towards them during class, he was talking Bella's head off. And she looked really pissed at a few times and sad at others. But you should have seen how he looked, man." Jazz smiled widely.

I couldn't help but crack a smile at that.

Yes, I'd have loved to see my work of art on that pervert.

"Anyway, give Bells a break. She's just been through hell and back. Don't forget that she's been dealing with you, the man of extremes, for a couple of months now. And now she has to deal with extreme violence. She needs some cooling down time," Jazz advised.

Well, he was right to some extent.

"I'm not _that_ extreme," I mumbled, earning a humorless chuckle from Jazz.

"Sure, man, whatever makes you sleep at night," Jazz said and flipped through his blackberry.

"Alice just sent me an email. She says that she got Bella to cool down a bit. And she says and I quote: 'Control that temper of yours, or else, I'll be signing you to a much needed anger management sessions. And you don't know, maybe we could get Dad to sign into those with you and get family discount,'" Jazz finished the quote and doubled over in laughter.

I glared at the car in front of us and saw Alice and Bella turn their heads to sticking out their tongues at me.

I narrowed my eyes at them, and then smirked evilly.

We chatted idly the rest of the way. Once we got to our destination, we got two parking spots near each other and got out.

Alice and Bella walked together ahead of Jazz and I. And I noticed that Bella didn't even try to make eye contact with me.

We headed to the furniture store to get Bella a new bedroom set to replace the soiled one.

Alice, of course, insisted on a whole bedroom make over, saying that this will help Bella forget about the whole thing.

I, for one, found it a waste of money. I mean, she's already sleeping in my room, I didn't know why she insisted on buying a new one.

We decided to divide ourselves into teams so that we didn't crowd one isle as we shopped.

Rose and Em decided to go pick up the paint after Bella agreed on the color. Jazz went to meet up with James at the mall entrance, saying that Vicky will call us in a few to meet up with us as well.

Alice and Bella walked ahead of me through the bedding isle, choosing new bedding colors along with drapes and other stuff for her room.

I noticed how the guard kept decent proximity to us without invading our privacy. He was dressed up casually in jeans and a t-shirt. He was Native American, with dark hair and dark eyes. What surprised me the most was that he looked around my age; he could have been a little older maybe, but you could see that he was quite young.

A Kindergarten Cop.

HA!

Now, usually I didn't care about those kind of details, unless it was something that affected me personally or something that involved me. And, I wondered how Charlie even thought about recruiting such person to take care of this serious task.

Bella.

I mean, even though the guy tried to stay subtle at it, I noticed how the fucker's gaze was locked on Bella.

I stepped into his line of sight and broke his gaze. He gave me a once over and rolled his eyes at me, while I glared at him.

I glanced at Bella and Alice and noticed that they were both engrossed in choosing the needed colors. Bella's cell went off and she answered it quickly not looking at the screen to see who the caller is.

"Hey, yes, I'm here. Yeah, we're at the store you told me about. Yeah… Uh huh… As you said, they have lots of great stuff and amazing deals. I already chose a few things, yes… that would be great. I'll see you in a few." She smiled as she finished her call and cfed her phone.

I guessed Vicky was here.

"Oh! They have this on sale. I wonder what colors they have left," Alice pondered and walked away to find a salesman to ask about the item she wanted.

I looked at Bella and noticed that she avoided looking at me at all costs.

"Love, I…" I stopped when she huffed and walked to the end of the isle. I heard her soft voice as she talked to someone at the end of the isle and I assumed Alice had found her already.

I turned around and noticed that Kindergarten cop was smirking at me. I glared at him till Alice cut off our glaring contest.

"Edward, Where is Bella? I found these awesome drapes; they'll be perfect for her room," Ali babbled beside me.

I looked at her in confusion.

"I thought she was talking to you, she just walked up this isle not up to a minute ago. I heard her talking and I thought she was talking to you," I told her, a bad feeling already settling in my stomach.

"Hey, guys, anything good in here? I haven't been to this store before. I think it just opened a few days ago." Vicky came from behind, and looked around.

_What? Wasn't she the one Bella was talking to on her cell?_

"Weren't you the one talking to Bella on the phone just a few minutes ago?" I asked her, with that sickening feeling settling more in my stomach.

"No, I just came here. I haven't talked to anyone but James," Vicky answered with a confused frown.

I looked at Alice who was looking around us in alarm.

"I just came down this isle, I haven't seen her and I wasn't the one talking to her," Ali said, grabbing her phone to dial Bella's number.

I bolted to the end of the isle with Kindergarten cop following closely behind.

"Bella?" I called loudly.

There was no one there. I looked at the guy and we split up in two directions.

_Where the hell is she?_

_I mean, she was just here._

I found one of the salesmen, "Excuse me, have you seen the brunette that was walking with us?" I asked him quickly while scanning the place around me.

"No, sorry, sir," he answered and went to help a customer.

"What is it?" Jazz ran up to us with James following close behind.

"Bella," I managed to choke out.

"Sir, I want you to lock the exits. NOW! Where is the store manager?" the cop asked, reaching for his walkie-talkie.

He sprinted into action and ran like a mad man trying to find my missing girl.

Hell, she was only a moment out of my sight. How could she disappear like that?

"Check the exits," Jazz ordered and ran with us running behind. They were all clear.

We reached a door that needed an access card to open it.

"Sir, would you please open the door for us?" James asked one of the clerks.

"Only employees are allowed in this area, sir. It leads to the store's storage room and garage. Customers are not allowed in there," the clerk replied courteously.

"Sir, my girlfriend is missing, open the door. NOW!" I bellowed at him.

"I don't have the access card. I'll call the manager." He cowered back and ran.

Jazz stayed with me, while James ran to see if he could find any traces of where Bella went.

By the time the door was opened, I was so tense that I thought I'd have an aneurism for sure.

"Bella!" I called into the almost dark area that looked a lot like storage.

"Hey, Sir," Jazz said and ran towards a guy who was sitting in front of a small TV screen.

"Sir, have you seen anyone come here? Sir?" I asked in a loud voice, demanding the attention of the ass who was ignoring us.

"Edward, I don't think he heard you." Jazz put his arm in front of me to stop me from advancing to the guy.

I looked at him confused, then noticed that the guy wasn't even breathing.

Jazz reached his cell and dialed a number.

"Chief Swan, we have a situation. Bella has been kidnapped," Jazz said calmly into the cell.

**End Chapter ****Twenty-One**

**A/N: ****DUN DUN DUN! The dreaded has happened! Think she's okay? Did you guess did it! So, my sweets? How was it? Next chapter, we'll get to see some drama, action and someone is gonna get their ass kicked… Please, review and tell me of your thoughts :) Again thanks to all of you who took the time to vote :D**

**Luv ya**** all!**


	26. Chapter 22

**Summary**: Parents' death left her with a new-born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's. How'd she cope her unsaid secrets with the green-eyed jerk's advances and the unknown lurking danger, EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessiveward. Razzle Dazzle & Silent Tear Nmnee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**A/N: ****Yep, it's me… I know some of you might have forgotten I'd ever existed.. but yes it's me, and I'm back, you guys :D It's been a long pause filled with drama.. I kinda lost my job and now I'm back to it… thank God! During that period, I kinda lost my muse as well, but thank God, she visited me again ****So, I guess I have a lot to be thankful for. I had lots of wonderful PMs asking me about an update or whether I'd be updating.. so, I guess this is the answer – I will be finishing my story, I won't be letting it go.. 'cause I hate unfinished business ;) so rest assured, guys ****I won't be deserting you my lovelies.**

**To all of you my amazing readers****, I got over 300 reviews, I name…**

lionandthelamb24, snusa, RoseArcadia, RobPattzFan4Life, Nonita, jessieclow3, Breath-of-twilight, alsotwilightandedwardfan, littlelivvylou, MrsEdwardCullenP, twilightmom30, hollymarie6, lilmstran, betsmecullen, foxjessica70, mousekemom, cvds, gloomywanderer, Emmii, lovingit3, ladysharkey1, Pamela, b3j02, cgoodwi2, doves1993, amwine, beignet, rayekay, reesessweetie, EdwardsBrunette2, TexasTwilight77, maybebaby23, sharon89, caseytabwizz, luv4edwardcullen, CitizenCullen25, jenninemarie, xneverthinkx, Angel Dee, FAMaggiolo, lorri-cullen, Angelwells, CoffeeluvaNZ, aerobee82, PennyLaneMasenCullen1, crackupmonkey, shaz308, Lori94, LyndsBaby, .19, Edward-Anthony-LoveR, mamato, ajendas, Mels78, angel04une, TraceyJ, Hope4more, mmjbmc, flyrbrd, Courtney37, Kimmie39, turquoise1581, Epatz, tam1116, fibrin, dontrun, bellandeannedwardfan78, robsmom, teamedwardtwilightfan, iloverobpattinson, mellicious secret, emroseliz, tahliaa., Pinkity Pink, luv2readff, Kefe, aliciataz, sasha123, sister lizzy, gothgirl1245, ArieCullen, KRYork, Nauni, mommytwilight, Lillie Cullen, IndiaIdania, QuueenElizabeth, maggiejoma, Ms Rebecca Cullen, AmberRobsten, albadolores, mommyamybee, Moondance16, luv4jake, YesMyRealNameIsBella, nicole-alice, Treya, I-promise-i-won't-4get, LoveThoseVampires, Thinkingofyou19, EmraePenne, DoubleAgentA, Litany Gone, iNeVeRsToPtAlKiNg, angel-cordy, seekerharmoney, ..love, ParamorFanFrLif, Sarabella Cullen, LOVEpeaceANDharmony, babylopez2008, mimimgr, Ms. Jessica Cullen, i wanna be a lamb, Magos186, LORETTA, SamMomo, madehoney, emma217, Mimi, bamagal110, Vera-Henry, IZZYALI, miki natsuko, radiate689, Bella Quinn, frequentlydazzeledbylit, faerie kitten, amgrant3, Bia, Noodlez123, jaclynheartz, Giaah, EDWARDSTRACIS, may-bell-rose, I Ate The Last Cookie, doowee, m0t0b33, susayq, tcrew, Jelly and Beans, o2b18, Lissagirl26, ajcullen, nicole-alice, Tilara, , dmpshfpondpfn, HavntGotAClue, Riri Cullen, TRob, latina medina, leechlover81, Lilypad10, detsinbaby, Sam604, Lily CullenSalvatore, universitygetaway, Rachel, Nrbl1, Megan Rachel, Summerbaby16, LeahHeartsEdward, vampiregirl1821, tff000, sheliahbaldwin, Elara420, RileyCalvin, MEA85, anonymos person, Lexie-is-the-best, timey-wimey detector and BethyBooW

**You are all AMAZING! With your continuous support this story has become what it is now :) I really hope that I haven't missed any of your names ;)**

**Special shout out** to the awesomeness called **Kefe** for **betaing**my chapter. You are just AMAZING, bb :) It was a short notice because I wanted to update before Xmas, she's the one you should thank for this quick post. Boy you should have seen the mess she got to clear this chapter lol thanks again bb :) Please, check out her stories **A Tangled Web **and **Love is Hell** Both equally awesome and are in my favorites' list.

Also, a **shout out goes to **my friend** CitizenCullen25 **did some pre-reading for me and gave me the first feel of the chapter thanks bb please check out her awesome stories, also in my favorites, **"Like a Moth to A Flame 2" **&** "Sweet Treats and Deadbeats".**

Stories Recs…

**"Freeze Frame****"** & **"Shipwrecked" **by my sweetest **Jewels64**, I miss my dear friend and I hope all is well with her.

**"Homecoming"****,** **"Prodigal Returns" & "To The Extreme" **by **dontrun**. Go on and show her some lovin' ;) She is just wonderful :D

**Now without further ado, here it is… my Xmas present to you :)**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter ****Twenty-Two**

"Chief, weren't your men supposed to be here already? I… I mean, what… what happened? I-" Jasper stammered.

_Fucking hell__!_

_Why was Jasper stammering?_

But before I could ask him, he turned and walked towards the door that led to the store's private parking lot.

He pushed the door and scanned the lot, all the while still listening to the Chief bellowing instructions.

"Jazz, fuckin' talk to me!" I snapped at him.

I was sure he could sense the tension that was radiating off of me. I wanted to scream and yell. I wanted to pummel someone to the ground. But I couldn't do any of that right now. I knew that I had to control my temper, because I was sure that killing someone – namely Jazz – wouldn't do us any good right now.

Jazz looked at me while he was still listening to what Charlie said. He nodded and walked back into the store with me close on his tail.

Upon entering the store again, I noticed that it was swarmed with cops – a few of them were from the mall's security and the rest were from the Port Angeles PD.

"Jazz, I can't find her." Alice's tear-stained face came to view.

Jazz ended the call and looked at me. It was obvious that he was thinking of what to say.

"Spill, Jazz." I gave him a blazing look.

"It's Michael," he said calmly.

_Mi__chael_? I looked at him in confusion for a second, then my eyes widened in recognition.

"Michael… as in _Mike_? As in _Mickey_ _Mouse_?" I asked him incredulously.

He nodded slowly, while wrapping Alice in his arms, trying to soothe her crying.

"It was all an act," he told me, "he made his move during class, that's why she tried to push you away. Because she knew you wouldn't be okay with the whole entrapment thing," he finished with a tired sigh, searching for someone among the horde of officers.

What the fuck!

_Entrapment_?

"Hey, look at me, damn it!" I snapped at him. Yanking at his collar, I forced him to look at me thereby removing his arms from Alice.

"What do you mean entrapment? And what do you mean by Mike made his move?" I asked him in a clipped tone.

"Remember what I told you about Mike sitting beside her in the class we had together. Well, when we were about to leave class she came beside me to whisper _'it's Mike' and 'Edward's in danger'_," he raised his hand to stop my interruption and continued, "at the time I didn't know what kind of 'danger' he was threatening her with exactly, because I didn't have enough time to talk to her freely. She only got the chance to mutter a few words like… '_it's Mike'_… '_Edward's in danger'_… '_got evidence'_… '_set a trap_' and last, '_wants me alone'_." Jasper shook his head. He looked like he was trying to figure something out.

_Danger?_

_Evidence?_

"And why didn't you fucking tell me! Damn it! I was with you the whole ride! Why didn't you fuckin' warn me at least?" I bellowed at him.

"Edward! Don't yell at him!" Alice barked, making me take a step back.

"She didn't even say anything while we were in the car… she just…" Alice groaned in frustration. "She just kept glancing at her cell every few seconds and only responded if someone talked to her. I thought her mind was preoccupied with what had happened last night. God, I can't believe I didn't see this coming." Alice sniffled and wiped furiously at her tears.

"You said she was going to be alright," I mumbled while running my shaky fingers through my hair.

"I know," Alice said in a small voice.

I took a deep breath, trying to hold onto what remained of my self-control. But damn it all to hell! I wanted so badly to kick someone in the ass for this mess. And right now, Jazz was a good option.

"So, what's going to happen now? Why were you calling Charlie? From your conversation, it sounded like he _already_ knew about this." I seethed at him, keeping my voice low.

"Well, the only thing I could do was to _text_ Charlie. He said that he would have something prepared by the time we arrived here. We didn't want to take any chance, by telling you guys, because we didn't know what _kind_ of danger he was talking about. We needed to act normal, so, I didn't say anything. Also, we wanted to catch him red-handed when he tried to kidnap her. What we didn't expect is that the assigned 'help' would blow it!" Jazz said through clenched teeth as he glared at the guy who was following us.

I turned around quickly and fixed the said 'assigned help' with a murderous look.

"But why didn't you fucking tell me in the car? I would have at least been prepared for this. I would have kept her in sight!" I snapped back at Jazz.

"Edward, it's not the time for pointing fingers. Think about it, for heaven's sake! She did that entire scene at school to keep you away from all this. Because she was afraid that you would get hurt! So, I thought that the only sane thing to do was to contact the Chief through text, figuring that Mike would have bugged the car or some shit. I didn't want to risk you knowing and then ruining this whole thing. I had only done what I saw fit and Charlie didn't tell me to do any differently," Jazz finished in his calm voice, not breaking our eye contact.

"Plus, I think Mike had given Bells a cell phone that _he_ got, because she had stopped talking to me once he gave her that phone. When he followed us to the door, he said that she had forgotten it at their desk. I'm sure he wanted her to have _that_ cell. Haven't you noticed that Bella didn't use it after we left school to check on her brother? We were together at the restaurant and you drove behind them the whole ride; you watched her, Edward. Do you remember seeing her using it?" He lifted an eyebrow, daring me to say anything different.

Fuck!

Of course, he was right!

Now, that I thought about it, I hadn't seen Bella use her cell at all… which usually never happened when she was away from JC.

"Now. I need you to keep your temper in check. All of us need to deal with this clear-headedly," Jazz told me calmly and squeezed my shoulder.

I hated his serene guts at the moment because he was right. AGAIN!

I released a breath which I hadn't noticed that I was holding and took another one to clear the haze of rage that was simmering inside me.

It was true.

Now was not the time for anger.

For now, I need to gather my whole wits into finding my Bella and getting her back. Safe… _and hopefully, in one piece?_

I gulped at the last thought.

Just thinking of what might happen to her made me shudder.

Oh, and since we were on the 'Safe' subject again, what the hell could have she meant by 'Edward's in danger'?

I mean, she knew that I could take care of myself. Fuck, she'd seen what I'd done to that Mikey-fucking-rat!

"Charlie is on his way. He'll meet us here. He's supposed to have contacted the mall security to close all the doors and prevent anyone from leaving. I just hope that he's right and we can catch that fucker in time," Jazz said wishfully.

I turned to him again, my eyes blazing and nostrils flaring. I tugged at my hair, while trying to control my reappearing anger.

"Jazz, be fucking realistic! He must have flown out of the mall, while we were chasing our tails - trying to locate where she went! I'm out of here!" I snapped and made my way to the store's entrance.

"Whoa! Where are you going, man?" Jazz called after me.

"I'm going to look for her," I shouted over my shoulder. As I approached the entrance, I was intercepted by Charlie and his troops.

"Where do you think you're going, son?" Charlie asked me in a calm tone - which I knew he was trying his hardest to maintain.

_I'm going down to Macy's to check out their sale items._

_Where the fuck do you think I'm going?_

I glared at him and bit the tip of my tongue before my snippy reply left my mouth. I took a breath and answered, "I'm going to try and find Bella, even though I'm certain, that by this point, her kidnapper would've made his way out of this place somehow," I answered him slowly, like he was mentally challenged.

"You can't leave now, son. As we speak, there is a bomb squad outside this mall, trying to defuse the bomb that was planted in your car," he said in his normal weather-discussing tone.

Alice gasped from behind me and Jazz - who was now standing by her - blanched. I gulped noisily, trying to fully comprehend his words.

Bomb.

Bomb in my car.

Bomb in my fucking baby car!

_But how can this be? I mean, how can he plant a bomb in my car at school and in fucking broad daylight? It doesn't make any fucking sense!_

"Where did you park your car yesterday when you arrived home from the mall? Did you park inside your garage or outside?" Charlie asked me as if he'd read my doubts.

_Yesterday?_

Why was he asking me about where I'd parked my car _yesterday_?

I looked at him trying to remember.

Well, we came back from the mall and I parked the car in my usual spot. And then for the prank, I waited outside for sometime and I'd used _Dad's_ car.

"Uh… when we did that prank, I'd used Dad's car. My car was left in my parking spot after we came back from the mall. But, Chief, I was outside, wouldn't I have seen him? When could he have had the time to install it?" I answered him with my own questions, remembering the act we had pulled on the two agents - which seemed like it'd been ages ago - and how I was in a rush to get into the house.

Was Charlie implying that…?

"You mean to tell me that he had planted the bomb yesterday during the visit we got? Chief, that doesn't make sense? I hadn't heard the car alarm go off. And, wouldn't the cops have found him? He would have been seen… he—" I didn't continue because suddenly it hit me. And Charlie nodded in affirmation.

"He planted the bomb when we were playing house," I stated and Charlie nodded again.

"But wasn't he busy ruining Bella's room?" I asked in confusion.

"That doesn't make sense, Chief. That guy is not even smart. I don't think he could have done _all_ this," Jazz tried to reason and Alice and I nodded in agreement.

Charlie stared at us for a few seconds, then he nodded and murmured, "Things are not adding up anymore. Give me a few seconds, guys."

He grabbed his cell and walked away from us to stand beside a couple of his officers. He talked on his cell for a few minutes and gave them his instructions then he came back to us.

"Let's go, guys, I need you to tell me everything you _think_ you know about Mike fucking Newton." He gave me a menacing smile.

_Did Charlie just __cuss?_

Alice gaped at him, while Jazz and I looked at each other and we mouthed 'fuck'. Then we all followed Charlie.

We heard him bellowing orders left and right, then he motioned for us to follow him.

We went into the store manager's office, where three _turned_-_off_ surveillance monitors were positioned on a side table. His name-plate on the desk said his name was 'Mr. Rogers'.

"Mr. Rogers, I'm sorry we are meeting under such circumstances and for all this mess, but I need all the surveillance tapes in this store for the last couple of hours, right away." Charlie cut quickly through the bullshit pleasantries and instructed Mr. Rogers in a polite tone.

"Chief, this is still a new store… uh… most of these cameras were installed only yesterday; they're still not connected to any recording system. Ah… we were relying on the mall security till all is installed properly." The store's manager dabbed his sweat-covered forehead.

Charlie's calm façade was betrayed by the vein that was pulsing - attempting to pop out - in his temple. Jazz and I glared at Mr. Rogers and he took a step back.

"Hmm… well, that's not good. That's not good at all." Charlie mused to himself, while still checking the monitors.

"Uh… I'm sorry about your daughter, Chief Swan. Please, let me know if there is anything I can do. The store and its resources are at your disposal till your daughter is found," Mr. Rogers said in a sympathetic tone.

Then suddenly, Charlie turned to Mr. Rogers and gave him a tight smile.

The manager looked taken aback and smiled – though it looked more like a grimace – back at Charlie.

"Thank you, Mr. Rogers. I appreciate your cooperation. But, isn't it customary that all surveillance is installed _before_ the stores are open for public?" Charlie asked him.

_Wow! That's right…_

_Two points to Charlie._

"Well, that's correct, Chief Swan. But uh… yesterday, there was a fuse that led to the damage of most of the light-bulbs in addition to most of the already installed cameras," Mr. Rogers said apologetically.

_How convenient!_

_Coincidence? I think not!_

Jazz and I exchanged a knowing glance, while Alice looked at us in confusion. Apparently Charlie was on the same page as we - guys - were.

"Fuse? Isn't this a _new_ store? Aren't the wires supposed to be new?" Charlie asked.

Whoaaa!

_Another two points to Charlie!_

"Well, that's correct. We're not sure what happened? Some workers were moving some stuff between the storage area and the shelves when suddenly lights started flickering and all cameras went down. We're lucky there was no fire," Mr. Rogers said in a small voice.

"What did the insurance company say? They did visit you, right?" Charlie fired his next question, not giving him time to think.

"Well, yes. Uh… they confirmed that it was because of negligence; that someone had done this, while our staff was moving the merchandise." Mr. Rogers turned bright red.

"But what did the maintenance say? Or even The Security Company?" Charlie inquired, scratching his chin.

"Well, they only said that something nicked the wiring, probably while moving a box or something…" Mr. Rogers answered him with a shrug.

"Mr. Rogers, wires are not that fragile that they are easily _nicked_ by a passing box," Charlie told him in a composed tone.

At this point, Alice had a look of comprehension on her face, while Jazz and I were following the conversation between Charlie and Mr. Rogers as if it were a ping-pong match.

"But—" Mr. Rogers started, but was cut off by Charlie.

"Now, Mr. Rogers, I'm going to take your generous offer and ask you to be so kind as to lend me your office space for some time?" Charlie spoke calmly as he escorted Mr. Rogers to his office door.

"Uh… yes, of course, Chief, any-" Mr. Rogers' stammering was cut short when Charlie closed the door after him.

"That S.O.B. had trashed Bella's room on purpose. He knew that she would need new furniture items for her room after what he did… and I led her right to it," Alice murmured as fresh tears appeared in her eyes.

"It's not your fault, Alice, don't even think about it." Charlie shook his head, then he turned to Jazz.

"What happened?" Charlie asked Jazz.

Shit!

Suddenly, I was so glad it wasn't me who arranged for this whole thing.

"Chief, the contact with Bella was scarce. After the bell rang, Bella made her way to the door and I followed her to leave, as usual. She didn't even turn her head to acknowledge that I was beside her, she only managed to whisper the words I have told you about looking straight ahead, before Mike came behind her to hand her 'her cell' - I reckon the cell he gave her was a device which he had prepared in advance – then walked to the parking lot in complete silence, we didn't even pass by our lockers.

"Then, she did that scene with Edward in the school's parking lot and we took off to have lunch. I kept everything to myself as you instructed me, so that we won't alert the others and they'd act upon it. She remained silent most of the way. And Alice told me that Bella kept the cell in her hand as if she was waiting for someone to call her any minute." Jazz reported.

"Yeah, and now that I think about it, the cell always faced up. Like she was looking at the screen reading something." Alice confirmed with a nod.

"Hmmm… now that I think about it, I guess it might not have even been a cell. Well, maybe it was, but Mike had altered it somehow, maybe installed a video/ audio surveillance kit in it and he was keeping the line open to monitor Bella's interaction with us. The cell might have a locator too. Maybe that's why she didn't even try to write anything and that's how he knew where she was at all times. She _always_ looked composed. She kept glancing out of the car's rear window as if she was checking that we were safe behind them." Jazz told him with a frown.

"I guess we know why now." Jazz looked at me and continued, "and you know the rest, of course. I sent you all these messages, because I didn't know if Edward's car was bugged or we were monitored and—" Jazz's word vomit was cut by the Chief.

"It's okay, son. You didn't do anything wrong." Charlie turned to me.

"What happened after you got here?" he asked me in a grave tone.

I gulped.

I told him what happened to the last bit of detail I remembered, while he listened and nodded.

"Fucking Jake!" Charlie cursed under his breath.

"One moment, please." He held up one finger to us and then he turned and opened the office door.

"Jacob Black, get your ass over here, NOW!" Charlie yelled in the direction of his officers.

Kindergarten cop scurried into the office, having the decency to look ashamed.

"Yes, Chief?" Kindergarten cop asked.

"Officer Black, what were my instructions?" Chief of _Menace-_ville asked in a grave tone.

"That I was not to remove my sight from Miss Swan," Black answered in a small voice.

"Then what happened?" he asked him again, taking a step towards him.

"I was watching her, but then Mr. Cullen here," he gestured to me, "pissed her off somehow and she went away—" Charlie cut him off.

"And did you follow her?" Charlie narrowed his eyes at him.

"No, he didn't he was smirking at me for 'pissing her off', weren't you, Officer?" I retorted, wanting to pummel the asshole.

"Sir, I was going to follow her. She only left my sight for a few seconds—" Charlie cut him off again.

"And they were enough to get her kidnapped." Charlie seethed at him.

We all gulped.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I'll do my best to get her back safe—" Charlie apparently had a problem with Officer Black's voice, cause he cut him off again.

"Oh, you bet your ass you're gonna do just that. Now, move and get me news on that fucking bomb. And let me know how the evacuation of the mall is going. Make sure that people are using the other exits – away from the red-area." Charlie instructed while opening the office door for him to leave.

Officer Black ran as if he was chased by the devil himself– which was kind of stupid really. I mean, I was still standing right here!

"So, let's talk about the Son of— I mean, Mike? I called your school and spoke to the principle. Mike Albert Newton has an IQ of 145." Charlie told us and watched our jaws hit the floor.

_What the hell?_

"Yeah, a genius level IQ." Charlie confirmed our un-asked question.

"But that doesn't make sense," I said, shaking my head.

"The guy's grades are not even that good," Jazz said in confusion.

"Who says that he needs to have good grades to be a genius?" Charlie asked rhetorically as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

_Maybe he was failing intentionally?_

"Guys, you _know_ how many geniuses were out there with bad grades," Charlie scoffed, shaking his head at us.

We couldn't say anything; we just exchanged glances with scowls on our faces.

"Yeah, looks like you all _thought_ you knew the guy, when you actually hadn't known him _at all_. So, I guess we can safely say that we aren't dealing with an airhead anymore." Charlie brushed some invisible dirt off his badge and looked back at us.

"Now, let's leave Mike's topic on the side I want to try and think of what evidence Bells was talking about. I'd need that for my talk with the Newtons, 'cause I'm about 100% sure that they'll give me hell about accusing their beloved about-to-be-dead son," Charlie said and motioned for us to take seats, while he took the Manager's seat.

"Well, Chief, after this, we're not exactly sure if we know anything that you don't already know. Well, for starters, and as you might already know from a previous incident, we don't exactly see eye-to-eye with Mike…" Jazz told him giving me a sideway glance.

"But, Chief, didn't any of the clues lead you to him in any way?" Jazz asked him.

"Well, son, up until yesterday, I had my suspicions. But after the incident in Bella's bedroom, he became my prime suspect," Charlie said as he took his cell phone out.

"Mike was the reason why I had moved Bella to her mother's that summer, so I thought why not check him off of my suspects' list before I start with anyone else, so I did a check." Charlie dialed a number on his cell and waited for someone to answer.

"We've already checked his whereabouts during the period of the incident, but apparently we weren't thorough enough, and—" Charlie stopped when I cut him off.

"And?" I urged.

He eyed me for a second and answered the person at the other end of the line.

"Jenks, Charlie here. Yeah, what do we have?" he inquired, while holding up his index finger, asking me to wait.

Charlie listened for a few seconds, his frustration showing clearly on his face.

"What the hell do you mean _am I sure it's him_? We have a fucking confirmation that it's him from _my own daughter_ when he _kidnapped her!_ So, yes, I'm sure it's him!" Charlie stood abruptly - almost knocking his chair off - and started to pace.

"I don't know how it is possible that he was in two places in the same time during _those_ incidents! I just know that it's him… I don't care what his bat of a grandmother _said_! It can't be him who was with her at the time… Damn it, Jenks, he fits the fucking profile! It's him. Don't give me verbal confirmations, what about the logs?" Charlie barked then listened for a few seconds. Then he covered the mouth piece and turned to us.

"They say he was visiting his grandmother at the time. And according to Jenks, they have her verbal confirmation and the records at the hospital confirm that it was him," Charlie whispered.

"Maybe it's someone else. Someone who looks like Mike, and who would have agreed to go visit his grandmother instead of him. I mean, if his grandmother is _that_ old; maybe she has poor sight, then, anyone could have replaced him for those visits. _Anyone,_" Jazz told him, then he murmured softly, "maybe that's the evidence Bells was talking about…" he trailed off, frowning.

Charlie looked at Jazz apprehensively for a moment, then nodded and turned to talk on his cell.

"Jenks, I just remembered, Mrs. Newton – Mike's grandmother – she's actually his _great-_grandmother. And her eye-sight is really bad; couldn't it be someone who looks like him? Check out the surveillance tapes and let me know." Charlie didn't wait for a response before he hung up on Jenks. Then he went to the door and called one of the officers.

Then he turned to Jazz, "Son, do you know what kind of car Mike drives?"

"Umm… I'm not sure, maybe a Honda?" Jazz replied reluctantly.

"Johns, I want you to check on any and all vehicles registered under the name of Mike Newton or his parents. I, also, want patrols on the Highway stopping these cars. And, get Mr. Newton to the station for questioning. He needs to be there within an hour. Also, make sure that the crime scenes have officers on them, in addition to the forest edges," Charlie told the officer who sprang to follow his orders.

"Johns, don't forget the vehicles the Newtons use for business," Charlie yelled after him and came back to talk to us.

"So, do you think that Bella was talking about Mike pulling the double act on his great grandmother? Is that the evidence she was talking about?" Jazz asked.

"Not sure about it, son, but this will be our start point. For now, let's talk about Mike Newton," Charlie said.

We talked for about fifteen minutes before we were interrupted by officer Johns, poking his head into the office.

"Chief, the Newton's store just reported that one of their minivans hasn't reported back since yesterday evening."

"Not good. Not good, at all," Charlie murmured.

He looked like he was trying his best to compose himself. That's when an idea hit me.

"Chief, can't you locate the signal from Bella's mobile? Or maybe, the asshole's mobile even?" I asked him.

"We've tried that. Both cells seem to have vanished from this earth. We figured he had destroyed both and now is using a new number, which he might have stole from someone… but maybe we could try all the numbers related to the Newtons family, just to be sure." Charlie contemplated loudly, while nodding his head at Johns, who nodded at him in return.

"Will do, Chief." With that, Johns disappeared from the office again.

"Do Mom and Dad know about what happened?" Alice asked.

"Yes, your mom is heading home as we speak. And I believe you all should head there. I need to go to the station to meet the Newtons. Maybe I can get them to give out any helpful information to help us find Bells." At the mention of Bella his face lost its color.

"Chief, we'll go with you. The guys and I, that is. Maybe we'll find something out. And we can start from there," I said.

"Actually, son, I need a clear head when I deal with the Newtons. So, it won't help if you are there. I'll keep you posted, though. And, don't forget that with you at home – I'm talking about my home, not yours - maybe you can find something that will help us, since the CSI cleared out everything this morning. Also, you never know, maybe Bells will manage to contact us there somehow. So, it's better if someone was there to answer her call," Charlie said wistfully.

"Let's head out, Edward. We need to get the guys briefed so that Em can drive us to your house in his Jeep. We'll keep you posted as well, Chief," Jazz told him as we stood to leave.

Officer Jake came into the office, just as we were about to leave. Jazz and I stopped and waited for the report on my car.

"I have the report on the bomb, Chief." Black_board_ directed his talk to Charlie, as if we weren't there.

"Go ahead, Jake." Charlie prompted and walked from behind the Manager's desk.

"The squad has defused the bomb. According to them it wasn't professionally-made – the design could have been taken from the net. And now, they are checking for fingerprints or DNA to connect the case officially to Newton." Black-_kettle_ reported in a triumphant tone.

"So, can I take the car?" I said in a hopeful tone.

"Sorry, son, it needs to be towed. We still need to do further investigations." Charlie said apologetically.

Officer Black-pot smirked at me evilly and I glared back at him.

"You can use Bella's car, Edward, the keys are in the house," Charlie told me; and headed out with a few officers trailing behind him.

We found the guys and started off towards the house. We briefed them of everything that happened on our way back.

Well, actually it was Jazz who had done the briefing, while I lamented the whole way home.

I was torn between taking Bella's car to go to cover every hole and ditch that Mikey-fucker could use and staying at her house to wait for her if she called us.

We reached home in what appeared to be no time at all. Mom let us into the house and I noticed that there was still a police car parked at the front of the house.

"Have they found anything?" I asked her, lingering at the door as I scanned the surroundings.

"No, honey, I hope that they find her soon," Mom said and hugged me.

"I can imagine how it feels. I mean, when the one you love is in danger, there is no worse feeling…" Mom's breath caught in her throat.

I knew she was recalling the time when there was a hostage situation, while Dad was lending a hand in an operation at Northwest Hospital & Medical Center a couple of years ago.

I still remember till this day what a mess she was and how scared she looked.

I nodded at her and we made our way to the kitchen where we found the guys sitting at the dining table, discussing the situation. Beside them, JC was in his seat, looking at them and flailing his arms trying to get their attention.

"Don't worry, honey. I'm sure everything will come out okay. I mean, Charlie told us that he's not worried about her life. He said that the kid is so obsessed with her that he wants her to be with him. Like his _mate_ or something." Mom tried to reassure me.

I clenched my jaw and gave her the 'and-that's-good-in-what-way?' look. I mean, till this point, I was trying to keep my temper in check. And I was sure as hell that it would do us no good for me to lose it right now. The guys turned to look at us.

"Mom, please don't say shi— uh… things like that," I said in a clipped tone.

"Sorry, honey. I just figured that at least we know that we won't find her dead-body somewhere like all those other girls," Mom blurted out before realizing what she had said.

_Perfect! Just the time for Mom to pick up a bad case of word-vomit._

I took a couple of deep breaths, while pinching the bridge of my nose. And apparently she just realized what she had said, because she tried to apologize.

"Sorry, honey, I just thought—" Mom started to apologize, but I interrupted her before she said anything else to spike my temper, more than it already was.

"Well, knowing Bella, Mom, I'm sure that she'd prefer to be left dead rather than get raped. But thanks for trying to make me feel better," I retorted.

"Hey!" Em bellowed at me and stood up, almost knocking off her chair.

"Don't you talk to Mom like that, asshole! She might have said it the wrong way, but you know well that she's trying make you feel better." Em snapped at me.

"Honey, it's okay. Edward knows what I meant. Right, Edward?" Mom tried to soothe both of us, "I mean, Charlie said something about some evidence, right?" Mom asked in a hopeful tone.

_What fucking evidence__, people? We don't have Shit!_

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Mom, unless we have a map or a trail of f— uh… crumbs that leads us to where Bella was taken to, I'm not sure I want to even hear about that damn evidence!" I said in a clipped tone and then turned to Em - who suddenly had a look of recognition wiped the anger off his face.

"I know that Mom didn't mean it the way she said it, shit-head. Forgive me for being a bit anal about the words used to describe the situation of my kidnapped _girlfriend _who was taken by a genius psycho who was nice enough to leave enough indications that he wouldn't harm her because she's supposedly the girl he wants for himself.

"I mean, I know for sure that if it were Rose who was taken, you wouldn't have been the calm master of deduction, would you, Sherlock_?_" I quipped. "You would have found out right away where the fucker had taken her with the 'evidence' she would have left you. Well, maybe you could help us solve the fucking evidence Bella was talking about," I said sarcastically.

"Well, maybe I will do just _that_, Ass-hat!" Em retorted.

"Then please enlighten us with your wisdom, _Yoda,"_ I said, just as the phone started ringing.

"Kids, pipe down! And stop cursing! Oh for God's sake, who is calling right now?" Mom said in frustration and left the kitchen to answer the phone.

"Guys, cool it down. It doesn't help for the both of you to bite each others' heads off right now!" Jazz ordered.

"He started it!" Both Em and I yelled at the same time, startling JC.

"Guys, come on, you're scaring JC." Alice pleaded. I walked and picked up JC who had begun to whimper.

"Hush, son, uncle Em needs silence while he contacts the mother-ship," I said in a mock-hushed tone as I rocked JC.

Em threw me a nasty look, then turned to JC.

"It's okay, body, your genius uncle is here to save the day, _as_ _always_." Em took JC from me and started cooing at him.

'_Genius uncle' my ASS,__ pea-brain!_

"I don't know, Em, but JC seems to be not sure that you're up to the task," I told him as I cooed at JC.

_Yep,__ my baby had the most adorable dubious look on his face!_

"And since your dad-_to-be_ is a good-for-nothing ass-hat, I'll teach you everything you need to learn about the art of _deciphering_ _evidence_ over a nice taco dinner," Em told JC.

_Maybe you need to know what the evidence is, first, __ass-sombrero!_

"You know, we can start in a few months, once you're big enough to um… maybe _not_ drool, for a start." Em wiped his drool-covered hand on Rose's blouse, earning himself a smack on his back.

"Ouch! See now, buddy, aunt Rosie is not very nice, is she? She's trying to confuse me, thinking that this will deter me from telling you what I know about the evidence. Maybe Ass-hat and I should exchange our girls. I'll take the nice one who can cook and he'll take the bitchy one who slaps people on their back. Plus, since your momma is a great cook, it makes me wonder what _other_ things else she's great at… OUCH!" Now it was my turn to slap him _hard_ on the back of his head.

_God, that feels good._

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Rose smirked.

"You have no idea," I told her with a nod.

"See, buddy, they fit perfectly," Em glared at us, "and she's smart as a whip, your momma. Yes, she is," he continued cooing as if nothing happened.

"Picture this, JC," he said to JC, as he turned to me, "the fucker was with her in that class where the teacher is anal about people talking during class. Can you think of how Bells and that fucker were communicating? Hmmm… maybe _telepathically_? No, that can't be. Right? I mean, Bella's mind is only connected to our Eddie boy's head here." He quipped, as things began to take shape in my mind.

"So, J-man, bearing in mind that they had pens and papers handy in that class, what do you think had happened then? Think maybe they played a few games of tic-tac-toe before Bella _stealthily_ managed to write something down that will help us… and you don't know… maybe she had managed to write a few things in the margins of her book, which that fucker had missed, because he was excited about the idea of snatching Eddie's girl," Em said, quirking his eyebrow at me.

My eyes widened and I turned to Jazz who had a look of realization on his face.

"Charlie," I said and he nodded.

"Alice, where is Bella's school bag?" I asked.

"In Em's car," she replied anxiously.

I ran outside and got it.

When I came back, Jazz was talking to Charlie and waiting for me to check Bella's bag.

I unzipped it and turned it upside down; getting everything to fall down on the table.

"Is it here?" I asked anxiously as Jazz looked for it.

"No!" Jazz slammed a couple of books down, getting frustrated.

"Maybe she left it at school. Jazz said that she didn't pass by her locker. So, maybe she hid it in her desk?" Alice suggested.

"Yeah, we're going, Em, you wanna come with us?" I asked, making my way to Bella's house to get the keys to her car.

"Of course, I'm coming, ass-hat. I was the one to solve the puzzle, wasn't I? Maybe you'll need more clue-solving geniuses with you. Oh and by the way, you're welcome!" He smirked as he handed JC to Alice.

_Smug, genius ass-sombrero!_

"Yeah, yeah, thanks, smug-ass. I just hope we find something worth it." I nodded at him.

"Edward, maybe it's better to take the jeep. Maybe we'll need to head somewhere where a stride-ride is needed." Jazz suggested, then he added, "plus, I'm not sure you're in the right state of mind to drive," he said as he exited the kitchen.

"Yeah, fine, let's just call Charlie," I told them.

"I just tried calling him. His line is busy," Rose said.

"That's because Charlie was talking to me on the phone," Mom said as she came into the kitchen.

"Did he get anything from the Newtons?" I asked her not waiting for her to continue.

"Well, he said that the Newtons weren't of much help. But he called to ask about Bella's stuff, whether she had left anything in it? He says that the evidence she was talking about could be something that she'd left there," Mom said, looking between us.

Man, this was crazy.

Bella was Charlie's daughter alright!

We exchanged looks, smiling at this. It made me wonder about his IQ; knowing that Bella had inherited it.

"I'll update him right now," Jazz said with a smile.

"What is it?" Mom asked, with a worried look.

"Well, Em just came to that conclusion; and we were about to go check her desk at school." I told her with a smirk.

"I guess she's her father's daughter," Mom said, smiling as she took JC from Alice.

"That she is," I nodded, "thank God for that," I sighed, closing my eyes for a second.

"I hope you'll find something good," Mom said as she patted me on the back.

"Charlie will meet us there," Jazz said, ending his call, "let's go."

It took us no time at all to reach the school, where we met Charlie outside.

"Got anything, Chief Swan?" I asked him as I ran to him.

"Well, we found the script of the conversation she had with Mike. But no indication of where he would have taken her," he said in frustration, "this is good for evidence. But it doesn't give us a clue of their whereabouts." He turned to Jazz.

"Jasper, are you sure she hasn't said anything else?" Charlie asked him.

Jazz didn't say anything for a moment. He just stared at our school, trying to remember what had exactly happened.

I thought of something to do to calm myself before I lost what remained of my sanity, so I started humming.

"Dude, what are you humming?" Em mocked. "Want me to call Mom on the phone and have her sing to you?"

"Fuck you, Em." I shoved him hard.

I started to hum again. I was taking a breath in between versus, when someone else's hum completed the tune.

It was Charlie. We all looked at him in surprise.

"What were you humming just now? What's that tune?" Charlie asked suddenly, looking quite interested.

"It's just a lullaby I heard Bella hum to herself after she talked to Esme, while we were at the restaurant." I looked at him questioningly, "why?" I asked.

"It's 'row row row the boat', right?" Jazz asked me with a frown.

I noticed that Charlie was looking at me like he was remembering something.

"Yeah," I nodded.

Jazz started humming the tune for a few seconds.

He looked at Charlie and said, "That's strange, Bella was humming that _same_ tune when we were walking to the car today," Jazz said, then he looked at Charlie who was murmuring something under his breath.

Charlie looked at him, unseeingly, and started singing the lyrics softly.

As he finished the lullaby, his voice raised an octave and his eyes widened.

"I think I know where Bella is," Charlie said quietly with a smile.

**End Chapter ****Twenty-Two**

**A/N: ****DUN DUN DUN! Yep people! We have a clue… and a big one at that ;) So now that we have the drama… how about some action! Please, review and tell me your thoughts :) Again thanks to those who are still with me and giving me a chance. Merry Xmas to you all and a Happy New Year xoxo**

**Luv ya**** all!**


	27. Chapter 23

**Summary**: Parents' death left her with a new-born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's. How'd she cope her unsaid secrets with the green-eyed jerk's advances and the unknown lurking danger, EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessiveward. Razzle Dazzle & Silent Tear Nmnee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**A/N: ****See I keep my promises! It's been only around a month and here is a new update already! I'll try to get the next update out even sooner than this ;) I want to thank you all so much for the lovely reviews you've been sending my way… I got more than 100 reviews! I'm almost at 3000 reviews! Care to help add a couple of hundreds more to it ;)**

**To all of you my amazing readers****, you know who you are, I name…**

Mels78, angel04une, beignet, bnjwl, Amazone3, Treya, IGOTEAMEDWARD, Hope4more, Sarabella Cullen, lgmrkm, magmom2, b3j02, Nonita, Chellie09, one of eddie's girls, reesessweetie, tff000, jenn1214, TRob, Sam604, mimimgr, , Nrbl1, aerobee82, whitegurl2013, Emmii, luv4edwardcullen, tahliaa., cgoodwi2, caseytabwizz, CitizenCullen25, foxjessica70, Lilypad10, Akaalias, Andi 31, TexasTwilight77, Zors, TWILIGHTQUEEN858710, Bammers, blackagurl, flyrbrd, ..love, twilightluver216, AmberRobsten, Courtney37, mousekemom, lilmstran, Lori94, mountainlion718, .19, ho0ii, amwine, ladysharkey1, penpal01, betsmecullen, tdenise11, wazzoes, lalibare, dontrun, EdwardCullen-izor, twilightgirl80, Anita118, Midnight-rose19, someonesad, Twilightie, susayq, TraceyJ, Kimmie40, doowee, estellefashion, TessLouise, Angelwells, QuueenElizabeth, kimiko cullens, HavntGotAClue, thehappygoth, Litany Gone, tam1116, alyalylovex, IndiaIdania, EdwardLoverForeverAndEver, iloverobpattinson, cornishpixie26, TwiSagaAddict, zkcej, cantsleep, iwantacullentoo, DoubleAgentA, .with., may-bell-rose, MariaLorenzen, LeLe1103, Midoriori, amberkey, Madison Elliott, EmLou1987, MadamLoveDr., LuvinTwilight143, mommytwilight, Amber, feedmemore, madehoney, chritbella, D-rizzle121, ElisabethReads, savannavansmutsmut, Brandy, aliciataz, Tesondrae, wattle1 and .forever..

**You are all ****wonderful! With your continuous support this story has become what it is now :) I really hope that I haven't missed any of your names ;)**

**A Fact that you should know… **this chapter was only a bunch of chicken scribbles if it weren't for the awesomeness called **Kefe. **She took it upon herself to **beta** this chapter and make it readable! So, can't thank you enough, bb, you are beyond wonderful and sweet! Please, check out her stories **A Tangled Web **and **Love is Hell** Both equally awesome and are in my favorites' list.

**Now without further ado, here it is…**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter ****Twenty-Three**

**BPOV**

"Ugh!" I groaned as I opened my eyes slowly, moving my face away from the blinding light that was directed to it. I noticed that it was a table lamp. And that the lamp was the only thing that lit the room. I blinked again, trying to take in my surroundings.

I was lying on a twin bed with my hands bound behind my back. My head was throbbing so badly and I wanted nothing more than to just go back to my unconscious bliss.

"Fuck!" I cursed under my breath as I squinted, trying to focus on my surroundings; my pounding headache getting worse with each blink.

_Why the fuck was my head throbbing so badly?_

"I see that it's already too late. The asshole has already rubbed on you, dear, and _badly_," said a sleazy voice from behind me.

_Oh, that's why._

I whipped my head around to look at the reason of my current state. And there he was.

Mike Newton.

My blond nightmare.

He stood there, leaning his back against the wall, staring at me with cold eyes. His arms were crossed, and somehow he had the posture of a person who was monitoring an interesting experiment. His gaze sent chills down my spine.

_And not in a good way._

"Utter the 'F' word one more time and you'll get another dose of the medicine you got before," he warned. "As I said, I don't like my girl to have a foul mouth." He cocked his head to the side as he narrowed his eyes.

I believe that concluded lesson number one.

I closed my eyes, remembering how I got myself into this utter mess.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Mike had dragged me from the store, through the store's loading lot and got me into his car. At the time, I went with him willingly — afraid that he would act upon his threat and harm Edward like he promised he would if I hadn't gone with him voluntarily.

The first twenty minutes of the drive went by in a deafening silence. A silence that could only be caused by someone's kind reminder of the detonator they were holding to a bomb that was installed in your boyfriend's car.

_That kind of silence._

He didn't say anything. He just got us out of the store's parking lot. And I noticed that he took a different road than the one we had used when we came to the mall.

I kept throwing him sideway glances while concentrating on my surroundings. I mean, it's not like I didn't know where he was taking me. After all was nice enough tell me.

Scratch that.

The fucker wasn't nice.

And he only gave me a small hint during our class together.

Well, actually, I wasn't even sure that he noticed that he'd given me that kind of information.

Still.

He said it and I would have been an idiot if I hadn't taken advantage of it.

_Therefore, _I — in turn— had managed to tell both Jasper and Edward.

Well, more like _hummed_ it to them, but you get the idea.

I just hoped that they'd, somehow, figure out what I was trying to say. And that Dad would have a remarkable memory — that would save the day — to remember that tune.

And I knew that this was not that crucial at this moment, but I prayed that Edward would forgive me for the stupid act I'd pulled on him in the school's parking lot, when I shouted at him and blamed him for what he did to Mike's face.

_God, I hope he would._

So, back to where we were.

We had been driving for about half an hour when he suddenly spoke.

"You know," he said, startling me and making me jump in my seat. I turned to look at Mike, contemplation was drawn on his face, like he was trying to find the right words to say.

I should also mention that he had this creepiest, satisfied smile plastered on his face.

"I always knew that we'd end up together someday," Mike said in a soft voice, sounding like a love-sick puppy.

With emphasis on the 'sick' part.

"I mean, ever since that day you tumbled off the boat — almost drowning — and I saved your life, I knew you were the one for me. You were my first love." He reminisced, shaking his head with the same creepy smile.

_You mean 'your first murder attempt', you moron._

'_Cause I, sure as hell, still remembered that day._

_And I could assure you that there was no 'act of love' involved during the incident_.

Actually, it was the day that founded my fear of any kind of water entertainment.

"Oh, you mean when you _pushed_ me off the boat and I almost drowned," I retorted, "I bet it was love at first _soak,_" I said the last part under my breath.

He ignored my blatant accusation, keeping the same smile on his face and continued, as if I hadn't said anything.

"I still remember how you latched your hand onto mine, waiting for me to lift you up from the lake." He glanced at me for a second, _still fucking smiling_, like he was expecting me to jump from joy at the memory or something.

"I love what you're wearing, by the way," he said suddenly — changing the subject, nodding towards the outfit that Alice had dressed me with , "though I'd have preferred it more if it were for my sight only. I'm not sure I'd be willing to share such attire with anyone else at any point," he mused.

I wrapped my arms around myself, cursing internally for agreeing to wear the outfit.

I didn't say anything, still afraid of his threat to hurt Edward. Just then, the cell phone I was holding beeped and a red light — at the side of the phone — blinked on and off.

I flinched, scared of what it could have meant and glanced at him from the corner of my eye.

He quickly snatched it from my hand and cursed under his breath.

"It's too soon! This shouldn't have…" he muttered under his breath.

His face turned grim as he started pressing some keys, trying to balance watching the road and looking at the cell phone, while uttering more curses under his breath. Suddenly, he turned to me and gave me a blazing look.

I froze, scared out of my mind all of a sudden.

"What?" I asked him nervously.

He kept quiet for a few moments, making my nerves taut with tension.

"How did he know?" he asked quietly, still looking ahead of him, gaining more speed by the second.

"How did who know what?" I asked him tensely, my eyes not leaving the speedometer on the dashboard.

We were driving on a narrow, curvy road, inside one of the many forests near Forks. The forest was so thick, you could barely get enough light to make out the edges of the road. And, with the unstopping rain, the danger of swerving and the chances of hitting a tree were increasing.

"Umm… Mike? Can you slow down, please?" I pleaded.

He didn't look like he'd heard me and instead it seemed like the car sped up, if that was even possible. I braced myself with the edge of my seat, trying to keep what was left of my sanity.

"Mike, please. I don't know what you're talking about," I whimpered.

"How did they know about the bomb in that asshole's car?" he asked me quietly, still not slowing down.

I shook my head furiously.

"I didn't tell Edward. I couldn't, because I'm sure you would have known if I had," I said quickly, keeping a death grip on the seat.

He slowed down a bit, looking pensive.

"True," he confirmed, then glanced at me, "which means, it's Whitlock. It's him, isn't it?" He deduced with a hard smile. Shaking his head, he started breathing hard.

"Mike, I didn't say anything to him. He must have figured it out for himself," I said in a shaky voice, "I mean, I didn't even get the chance to talk to anyone," I said exasperatedly.

"It must have been during the period before I handed you the cell phone, right?" he continued.

"Mike—" I started, but he cut in quickly.

"What else did you tell him, Bella?" he asked me gravely.

I shuddered and gulped.

"Mike, I didn't get the chance to say anything. You saw me. You were behind me, for heaven's—" I said in my most convincing voice, but he cut me off again.

"Bella, I won't ask you again." He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.

I thought about it for a second, weighing my options. It was clear that he had figured out that the others knew what he was up to. I decided it was better to confirm his suspicions because God only knows what I was up against if he snapped knowing I was lying through my teeth.

So, I sighed dramatically, trying my best to sound resigned.

"How did you know?" I asked, pretending to be completely bewildered at his ability to draw such a conclusion from those premises.

He smiled smugly at me.

_And the Oscar goes to…_

"Did you hear the beep sound?" he asked me, holding up my cell phone.

"Yeah," I murmured, looking at him expectantly.

"Well, that was one of the bomb triggers — in your retard of a boyfrie— uh, excuse me, _EX-boyfriend_'s car —being defused just now," he said, throwing the phone carelessly to the back seat.

"Wait, you mean to tell me that I was holding the trigger this whole time?" I was shocked and frightened.

_The fucking ass-hat!_

"Well, it was a spare one. I had the primary one. It was a safety tactic. Just in case one of the triggers was lost, or in case you tried to call anyone, it would have triggered the bomb. It was one of my brilliant ideas." His smug voice grated on my nerves.

_It was like he was a mash up version of the Pinky and the Brain!_

He was silent for a few seconds, giving me sideway glances.

"What else have you told Jasper, Bella?" he asked me calmly. I gulped.

_Shit!__ I guess no Oscar for me._

"I mean, I haven't told you much. Other than about the bomb, there was nothing else, was there?" he mused to himself.

"Well, as you said, there's nothing else. I mean, I only got a second or so alone with him, so I'm not sure if I could have said anything else. And you were behind me right away." I huffed, feigning frustration.

"True." He furrowed his brows.

"Actually, I only told Jasper that Edward was in danger. He must have figured it out by himself." I shrugged, trying to keep him distracted from the fact that I had already figured out where he was taking me.

He looked thoughtful for a few seconds, then shrugged.

"Well, it's not that there was _nothing_ to say, because I gave you hints of where we were heading when we stood up from our table." He gave me a pointed look.

_Can anybody say FUCK?_

"But since you barely remembered me that day at the mall, I doubt that you would remember the place we'd visited during our summer school. So, even if you'd remembered that, I'm not sure you ever got a chance to describe the place to Jasper, because it's been a while since you went there. And even if you did remember, it would have taken you time to tell him the location." Inspector Clouseau nodded, satisfied with his analysis.

I wasn't sure whether I wanted to curse out loud, or just sigh in relief.

That was a close call.

_Too close._

So, now that Edward was out of danger, I needed to think of a way to escape.

And if I didn't want to end up dead in a ditch like all those girls, I had to think of something _fast_.

"Are we there yet?" I asked, trying to change the topic.

"You are so lucky that the bomb is defused. Why would you even tell Jasper? Weren't you afraid that I would let the bomb go off? Didn't I write it in black and white that you were not to say ANYTHING?" The volume of his voice increased significantly.

Well, I guess there was no changing the subject.

I huffed in frustration. He was acting like a real dunce for someone claiming to be a genius.

"Come on, Mike! You intended to kidnap me. You were threatening me. What the fuck did you expect me to do?" I asked incredulously in a loud voice.

I knew that I needed to keep calm. But this insect was just asking for it. Add to the fact that Edward was now safe, it was unlocking the bottled anger that I'd been holding since the moment I sat down next to this douche-bag.

"No need to be vulgar, dear. I don't like it when you use such crude language. It was enough that I had to listen to that intolerant asshole. I don't want you to act like him. So, I'm not going to say it again. Mind your tone and tongue!" he threatened in a clipped tone.

What. The. Fuck?

I gaped at him. And something inside me snapped.

That was it. I didn't give a fuck any more!

"Just who the _fuck_ do you think you are? You have no say over what _tone_ or _language_ I use, you bastard!" I snapped at him.

Big mistake!

Just as I was finishing my sentence, he swiftly reached for my hair and gripped it forcefully, yanking me to him. I yelped in pain and surprise.

"I did warn you, my dear," he said in a scary even-tone.

Then, his fist connected with the left side of my face, just below my eye, causing my head to snap to my right and hit the passenger window with a loud crack.

Everything went black.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~

I groaned again and took a few breaths, trying to clear my head.

Norman Bates had nothing on this Psycho edition!

"Can I have some water?" I croaked, sounding like a frog.

"What's the magic word, dear?" he said in a sickly sweet voice, making me want to puke.

_Fuck-head_.

"Please," I rasped.

"Sure, here you go, dear." He tipped a bottle of water near my mouth.

I gulped a couple of mouthfuls greedily, trying to ease the itchy feeling in my throat and to quench my thirst, but the bastard removed the bottle from my mouth.

I whimpered in protest.

"Now, dear, that's enough for now. When I see that you're acting like the lady I know you are, I'll give you some more. But for now, let's help you sit up." He removed a few strands that fell on my face.

I wanted to plead for more water, when his fingers grazed the side of my face. And although his fingers were barely there, I gasped and flinched away. The side of my face suddenly felt hot, damp and swollen. It throbbed more, if that was even possible.

_Shit, is that blood I smell?_

"Am… uh, am I bleeding?" I asked drowsily.

"Um… yeah, about that, apparently the hit you took against the passenger window was harder than I thought. There's some blood, but it's almost dry now. I'll clean you up in a few minutes – when your dizziness goes away and you'll be good as new," he assured me, merrily.

I tried to press on the wound, hoping to lessen the ache, but yelped when I was hit with a piercing pain in my shoulder once I moved a bit.

_What the fuck happened to me?_

"What happened to me?" I asked between gasps.

"Oh, that would be your dislocated shoulder," he pointed out conversationally, tapping his mouth with his index finger.

_No shit, Sherlock!_

I looked at him, confused, trying to remember when I had fought him that resulted in me getting a dislocated shoulder.

"But… when? How? Was I even conscious when that happened?" I asked as I moved myself to sit in a better position — to take the pressure off that area, especially since my hands were tied behind my back.

"Of course not, dear. I made sure that you were unconscious when I dislocated your shoulder." He huffed, as if it were the natural thing to do.

When you… _dislocated_ my shoulder?

"You dislocated my shoulder… on purpose!" I gaped at him in horror.

"Well, duh. I thought you're a smart girl? Did you think that I'd make it easy for you to runaway? Don't worry, though. When needed, I can pop it right back into place. It's not like I haven't done it before." He shrugged, as he propped me up against the headboard.

"It wasn't that hard, really. I remembered that I had dislocated your shoulder when I pulled you out of the lake that day. And as you know, when the joints are subjected to that type of injury, they would always be vulnerable. So, it was either that, or a broken ankle." He cocked a brow at me.

I gulped noisily. He guessed right.

Flashes of the scene where Nurse Annie breaks Paul's ankles, in the movie _Misery_, rushed to my mind, making me nauseous. Cold sweat formed on my forehead and the pounding in my head increased.

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to ease the nausea.

"Don't worry, though. I know you'll see the light soon and return my affection, once you realize how much I love you and how much you mean to me." He sat on one of the two chairs facing the bed, raising his leg to rest his foot on the bed's iron frame.

"We have a full future together. We'll have a big family. You and I both know how lonely it can be without having siblings. I was thinking we could have maybe 2 or 3 kids. I don't want you to be swamped with kids' chores. I want you for myself too, you know. And maybe this way you won't have a rough time maintaining this hot figure of yours," he said with a dreamy look on his face.

I gagged at the thought of being with this douche-bag, let alone having a family with him.

I remained silent, praying in my head that Edward would find me soon. It was already pitch black outside. So, I'd been out for two, maybe three hours.

"You're awfully silent, dear. Does your throat hurt much? I can give you more water now, if you want." He cocked his head to the side, holding the bottle up in his hand.

I nodded silently not looking directly in his eyes.

He got up and approached me slowly. He regarded me for a second before tipping the bottle for me to drink. I gulped a few mouthfuls, trying to put out the fire that had settled in my throat.

"See, I can be nice when you're acting like a sweet girl. Seriously, Bella, we don't need to be enemies. You're a smart girl. I'm sure you've thought about it more than once. And I'm sure the girls have noticed how much I adore you." He sat down again.

"We have known each for the longest time, if you think about it. And I've been thinking about you since the whole time you were away. I knew that someday we'd be together again. I have even been saving up — waiting for the day we'd be together. Although I didn't know that you would be hooking up with that retard." He tensed when he thought of Edward.

He looked at his watch thoughtfully, then glanced outside the small window.

"We need to get moving. We can't stay here for long. Maybe it would be good to start cleaning that head wound of yours. How is your head now? Are you still dizzy?" he asked and went to grab the first aid kit that was placed on the table in the corner of the room.

I panicked, not wanting to leave the place, having total faith that Edward would reach us here soon.

That it was only a matter of time.

"Uh… I'm still a bit dizzy. Can you wait a bit longer?" I asked in a fake weak voice.

He looked at me thoughtfully, then nodded his head and put the kit down. He went to the small fridge and grabbed a water bottle for himself, and then went back to his seat.

"Oh, and I'll keep my word about bringing JC to live with us. Although, I'd be more happy if you change your mind about having him with us, 'cause I really want you for myself for the next five, maybe ten years," he continued the conversation and sighed wistfully as he finished his statement.

I flinched inwardly at the thought of having to live with him for any amount of time. Then, I remember what he said at the beginning of his conversation and I looked at him, confused.

"Um, we've never talked about anything, Mike. So, how and when did you tell me about bringing JC with us?" I asked him, waiting for the answer and dreading it at the same time.

"Well, remember the girls I'd left in the forest. I figured you'd be a smart gal, and figure out for yourself that those small baby-shaped figures I'd left was the clue to let you know that I'm okay with taking JC in with us, to keep you happy." He shrugged.

I blanched at the confession.

I mean, Dad said that the guy who had trashed my room was the same guy who had killed those three girls. But hearing it come out directly from the mouth of the killer was down right sinister. It sent shivers down my spine.

"Why did you kill them, Mike? What happened?" I asked him before I could stop myself.

"I mean, those girls had lives. Why didn't you just leave them to their business?" I shook my head, trying to figure out how his mind worked.

"It's not like I'd meant for those girls to die, Bella! Shit happens!" he snapped, sitting straight.

_Had he just said that the reason for killing those girls was "shit happening"? __That little shit!_

I gaped at him, trying to remain as calm as possible in this kind of fucked up conversation, "how can someone _just die_, Mike? What happened?" I repeated.

He sighed and looked like he was thinking of what to say.

"Well, I'd known those girls for sometime. I was trying to get over you. You know… trying to give other girls a chance to be with me, since you were 'not interested'." He used the air quotes, like he knew better. As if he was indicating that I was playing hard-to-get.

I rolled my eyes and noticed that he tensed.

"Don't roll your eyes at me, Bella. That's so improper." The underlying threat was as clear as the yet-to-be-seen-sun-of-Forks.

Not wanting another colorful reminder on my face, I apologized softly.

He nodded, then continued, "I dated them, but they were nothing like I'd imagined. They were all stupid and they all acted rude and un-lady like. They weren't worth my time and definitely weren't worth giving them my name. We fought a lot, especially when I'd mentioned you in the conversation. How cute you were and how I'd rescued you from downing…" he trailed off, having a far-away look in his eyes.

I remained silent, wanting to drag this conversation as long as I could, to borrow as much time as possible before Edward and my dad showed up.

"So, they all started joking and saying that maybe I was better off if I had just let you drown. That maybe then I would have had my closure!" he said indignantly, waving his hands in frustration.

I guessed I understood how these girls had felt.

"So, you could say that I just… snapped." He shrugged and leaned back on his chair.

"I gave them a little medicine of what they'd suggested I do to you." A creepy evil smirk made its way to his face.

My breath caught in my throat at the look he had on his face.

So, this was how a serial killer looked like.

I remembered how the girls and I used to defend him whenever the guys at school attacked him.

Oh, how wrong we were.

"Um… can I have some Advil?" I asked him softly, changing the subject, "I have a terrible headache." I closed my eyes, trying to imagine how Edward would be on his way to rescue me from this freak.

"Yeah, sure, but maybe I should take care of that cut on your forehead before that." He nodded to himself.

_Maybe you should stay the fuck away from me._

I nodded minutely, not wanting to argue with him.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"It's almost nine pm. You were out for quite sometime. Are you feeling any dizziness now? Do you feel like you're gonna throw up?" he asked as he prepped to clean up my wound.

_Well, duh! You're next to me, aren't you?_

I shook my head slowly, testing myself, "no, I'm good." And I braced myself as he started working.

He was Nurse Ratched's incarnate.

His touch was anything but gentle. I winced with each swab of his disinfectant-drenched cotton ball. My eyes watered from the pain.

I raked my head, trying to come up with any way to get out of this shit.

But my frazzled mind came up with nothing.

"Once I'm done with this, I'll give you something to eat and then we'll be off. I'd like to put as much distance, between us and Forks, as possible, tonight." He nodded as he checked the other side of my face where he had hit me.

"I'm guessing the swelling will ease soon. The cabin is already cold. I don't think I need to apply an ice bag on the bruises." He finished and looked at me with a goofy smile.

I'm sure I looked like a messed-up punching bag.

"See! Good as new. I've always had your well being in my mind. I'd never hurt you on purpose, dear. Well, I mean I know I did today, but it was for your own good. Think it over while I go wash up and bring us something to eat?" He looked at me, waiting for me to answer.

"Yeah, thank you, Mike. I'll think about it," I nodded and gave him a watery smile.

_When hell freezes over! _I continued in my head.

He nodded happily and went to wash his hands in the adjacent bathroom.

_As if!_

I needed to get the fuck out of there before the little shit took me away from here. Because once we left, my chances of getting away would have been slim to none.

I tested the binds again, moaning softly as a new shot of pain went through my shoulder.

This was not good.

I glanced around me, trying to find anything that I could use as a weapon. But the room was clean except for a few basic items.

He came back with a plate of subs and a bottle of champagne.

I frowned as he got a small table and placed it on the side of the bed close to me. He grabbed the chair and placed it beside the table. The window was right behind him.

"There you go. All set. We'll get a better meal once we reach our destination, of course." He placed the meal in front of us on the small table.

"Oh and this," he raised the bottle of wine, "is to celebrate our reunion." He smiled. And I noticed that even though I was sitting properly in front of the table, my binds were still in place.

_Celebrate, my swollen-ass!_

I couldn't help it, I just needed to get the satisfaction out of bursting his little happy-deranged bubble.

"Um… Mike. I don't drink. I'm not even eighteen yet. And neither should you, for that matter. We are both underage," I stated.

"Come on, Bella. It's not like anyone will see us." He snorted, "Charlie is not here to tell us what we can or can't do, right?" he said conceitedly.

"I don't care." I shook my head, "I'm not drinking and neither are you, especially if you're still thinking of driving us out of here." I didn't care what he was saying. I wasn't drinking and neither was he. So, I kept a straight face.

He huffed and ate a big bite out of his sandwich, chewing like a cow. The asshat didn't offer to untie me, or even feed me! I narrowed my eyes at him.

Not that I was going to eat anything the asshat offered, mind you.

_What the fuck?_

_Well, let's try a different approach, shall we?_

"Mike, would you please put it back in the kitchen?" I asked him sweetly, "I mean, I thought you said that you'll take care of me. How is us having champagne good in anyway?" I batted my eyelashes at him.

He blinked at me a few times and I took this as a good sign and continued; hoping that this act would trick him into believing that I was relenting to the thought of being with him. He looked like a stray puppy.

_Here doggy!_

"I'd hate to think that we would actually start our _relationship_ fighting over something that stupid." I pouted, as if the thought of us fighting made me sad.

_Come on, boy!_

He gaped at me before smiling widely.

"Oh, you are absolutely right, dearest. What the hell was I thinking?" He lightly tapped his forehead, got up quickly and sprinted with the bottle to the kitchen.

_Good doggy._

A minute later, he got back with two cans of soda.

"Oh, where are my manners! I was stuffing my face with food and you haven't eaten anything." He shook his head.

"I'll untie you, now, so you can go wash your hands and freshen up a bit. Also, if you want to use the toilet too, you can." He reached behind me and quickly untied me.

_You__, trusting fool! My mind was baffled at how quickly he had let his guard down just because I flirted with him._

I knew I couldn't attack him with my bad shoulder. So, if I wanted to attack, I had to come up with something that would cripple him completely to make it hard for him to follow me.

I smiled sweetly at him, "thanks, Mike. As you said, I'm a smart girl. And I remember how much you cared for me since we were kids. I'm sorry if I was acting crude. I guess it was the shock of leaving my old life behind." I shrugged my good shoulder.

"I'm sure that was it, dear. Come on, let's get you to that toilet. Do you need any help inside? I promise I won't look," he said, looking hopeful.

_Keep praying, ass-hat._

I flushed at the disgusting thought. But he mistook my blushing for being coy.

"It's okay, Mike. Thanks for asking though," I answered him shyly.

He smiled to himself and went to put another chair beside the table.

I got into the toilet and closed the door, noticing that there was no lock on the door.

_Shit!_

I looked at the wall, looking for the window. I noticed that there was none. A small light bulb illuminated the area.

_Double shit._

I looked at myself in the small mirror that had survived many years and noticed how both sides of my face were marred with bruises. And the right side, which had the bloody cut, was scrappily bandaged.

I groaned.

It was a miracle that my eyes weren't swollen shut.

I sighed and did my business, with difficulty. When I was done, I washed my hands, also with lots of difficulty. Finally, as best I could do, I washed the reachable parts of my face and neck, to remove the dried blood.

"You okay inside? Do you need any help?" Mike asked from right outside the door.

"I'll just be out in a minute after I finish wiping the blood from my face and neck," I shouted back.

_Figures he'd act like a needy child!_

I rolled my eyes, glad that he couldn't see me.

_Great. Now, a plan._

_Launch myself at him?_

_Hmm… with my body mass… not sure that's a good thing._

_Maybe use my can of soda to hit him with it in the head._

Well, a more favorable option, but I just hoped that I had enough power in me to do the necessary damage. Or else, I would have been stuck there with that psycho.

The thunder shook the cabin, causing me to shudder.

I gulped and took a deep breath.

I opened the door, plastering a stupid smile on my face and I was met with Mike leaning on the opposite side of the wall.

"Hey, you look much better, dearest. How about those Advil pills now?" I nodded and he turned and went to the kitchen to grab them.

I walked quickly to our table and held the can in my hand; weighing it, to see whether or not to risk using it as a weapon. Since I was right-handed and that was the hand that I couldn't use at the moment. I knew that my left hand wouldn't be as good as using my right hand to do this. I needed enough momentum to cause damage with this small object, in addition to speed. The element of surprise needed to be there, or else the whole thing would be the cause of my death.

"Here's the Advil, honey. You want water? Or is soda fine?" he asked me with a smile.

_Well, since I need the can to __smash your head with it, I'll need water, please._

"Yes, I'd love some water, please." I kept my polite tone.

I sat in the chair that faced the window, leaving the chair he had previously sat on.

I tried to put pressure on my shoulder with my other hand, but it only caused me to wince in pain.

How was I going to get rid of this pain?

I contemplated asking him to relocate my shoulder, but then thought against it, fearing that he'd figure out the sham.

"I'll relocate your shoulder in a couple of hours, after you have eaten to get some strength. I don't want you passing out on me from both the pain _and_ weakness." He shrugged and took his seat.

I smiled weakly at him and gulped down the medicine.

I was gulping down water hungrily, tilting my head, when I thought I saw movement in the window.

I lowered the bottle slowly, not wanting to alert him to what I saw.

I took a couple of bites and hummed, wishing that it was a different person that was sharing this simple meal with me. He smiled at me as he continued to chew happily.

"I got you a turkey sandwich. I remember you used to love it." He gulped down half of his soda and burped loudly.

_Ewww!_

"Oops! Sorry." He didn't even look at me to see the disgusted look on my face.

_Okay, now is the time._

"God, it's really pouring outside, isn't it?" I said conversationally.

"Mmm-hmm…" he hummed as he kept stuffing his face.

_Okay, that's not working._ Then, a thought popped into my head.

"Um… I was thinking, is the boat we used to ride in the lake still there? Maybe we can, you know… have a quick boat ride in the morning before we leave… to re-live good memories. Since it was the place where everything started for us, right?" I smiled shyly at him.

"Well, I'm not sure that we'll be staying till the morning. But the boat is just outside. Actually, if you look outside the window you can see that it's leaning on the side of the cabin, see—" He turned his head to look outside the window.

And that was my chance, I stood quickly, figuring that I'd have a better advantage at hitting him while I was standing and he was sitting.

But just before the can made contact with his head, our eyes met in the window and he bent to the side and he avoided the hit.

_Fuck!_

_I'm so dead._

And the psycho returned. His eyes were blazing and he looked like he was about to breathe fire.

He stood quickly, reaching for my can with one hand and grabbing my hair with the other. He tugged painfully on my hair, making me yelp and loose my grip on the can.

"Did you really think that I believed that act you tried to pull on me?" he seethed at me.

"You're a bad liar, Bella." He smirked and tugged on my hair again making me whimper. "You submitted quicker than I thought and I knew that you had a scheme in that pretty little head of yours. I just didn't know how fast you'd act upon it," he said between clenched teeth.

"Pity, I really wanted to believe that we were reaching something… comfortable. Turns out it was all an act!" he shouted and threw me forcefully.

I flew over the bed and crashed on the other side of the wall with a loud agonized yelp.

I saw stars, and I closed my eyes trying to concentrate on staying conscious. I felt the cut on my head open and start to bleed again. I leaned back against the wall, moaning in pain.

He walked slowly towards me, a deadly look coming upon his face.

"Haven't I been treating you right?" he asked, then kneeled in front of me.

_Oh, yeah. A real gentleman, you asshat!_

"I was nice enough to keep your stupid ex-boyfriend alive, wasn't I?" He yanked my face to make me look at him.

_Only because they defused the bomb before you let it go off, you psycho!_

"Haven't I placated you and told you that I'll willingly allow you to get JC with us someday?" He slapped me hard on the face and I yelped.

_Like I'd wait to see that day, fuck-head!_

"Haven't I taken care of your wounds and fed you?" He counted a fourth finger and kicked me in the ribs, making me double over in pain, moaning loudly. I tried to crawl away, but he kicked me again, and kept his foot on my side, pinning me in place.

_Not that I can see, you crazy shit!_

The thunder rumbled loudly. And from where I lay in pain, I thought I saw a shadow of someone coming behind Mike, who had taken a step away from me to admire his handwork. Mike was so furious and engrossed in his ramblings that he didn't even notice.

I was teetering on the verge of consciousness.

"I bought you champagne! Champagne! For heaven's sake and not just any kind, the expensive kind! I wanted to celebrate the beginning of our relationship with you! I wanted to drink to your health!" he shouted, taking a step back.

"Cheers to that, Asshole!" The sound of Edward's furious voice came from behind him.

Mike's head whipped around only to have the champagne bottle broken on his head.

_Cheers indeed_.

**End Chapter ****Twenty-Three**

**A/N: ****DUN DUN DUN! He's HERE! Edward is f*cking HERE! Please, review and tell me how much you wish for Edward to pummel the bastard to the ground ;) So, maybe a couple of chapters left and maybe an Epilogue… can you believe that it's almost over! Again thanks to those who are still with me.**

**Luv ya**** all!**


	28. Chapter 24

**Summary**: Parents' death left her with a new-born brother. Claiming him as hers, she heads to her father's. How'd she cope her unsaid secrets with the green-eyed jerk's advances and the unknown lurking danger, EXB,AH, Jealous/Possessiveward. Razzle Dazzle & Silent Tear Nmnee

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight saga or its elements, I can wish though…

**A/N: ****Yep, I'm here ****just like I promised. Lots of things are going to happen in this chapter… Edward is a force not to be tampered with ;) I want to thank you all so much for the lovely reviews you've been sending my way… I got more than 150 reviews! I'm past the 3000 reviews! Thank you so sooo much!**

**To all of you my amazing readers****, you know who you are, I name…**

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**You are all ****wonderful! With your continuous support this story has become what it is now :) I really hope that I haven't missed any of your names ;)**

**A Fact that ****hasn't changed… **you need to believe me when I say that this chapter was only a bunch of doodles if it weren't for the awesomeness called **Kefe. **She did the **beta** work for this chapter and made it wonderful! So, can't thank you enough, bb, you own my a**! Please, check out her stories **A Tangled Web **and **Love is Hell** Both equally awesome and are in my favorites' list.

**Now without further ado, here it is…**

**You Don't Know Anything**

**Chapter ****Twenty-Four**

**E****POV**

I couldn't quite explain the swirl of emotions I was feeling at that moment.

Jazz, Em and I were in the Jeep headed to the hunting and fishing cabins near one of the lakes in Forks.

Charlie's cruiser and a police car were speeding behind us—sans sirens—trying to catch up with Em's insane driving. And behind the police car was Dad… sitting in the ambulance that followed.

Yep, we weren't taking any chances. Dad caught up with us at one of the turns. And, as I understood from Jazz, who was our un-official designated communication officer, the ambulance MDs were reluctant to bring Dad with them. But I guessed he was more persuasive than I thought.

I also figured he wasn't taking any chances, knowing how I would lose it if anything happened to her.

As for me, I was just hoping that the ambulance was there to be used for the damage I would be inflicting on the son-of-a-bitch who was the cause of this shit. And that Dad would be there to make sure that the bastard would survive the beating I was going to give him.

I sighed and rubbed my face with one hand, since my other one was still wrapped up in bandages from my accident with the glass.

I sat in the passenger seat, staring ahead of me unseeingly, while Jazz took the back seat, talking on his phone. I believe he was talking to Alice to tell her of our latest revelations.

Trepidation was crippling my thinking process and, almost, my body's actions. All my movements were jerky. My eyes were clouded with images of what could have been happening to Bella, causing a head rush. My breathing hitched every few seconds in the fear that we might not make it there in time.

Charlie gave us the extra-short version of the lullaby story. Turns out the bastard was taking Bella to one of the cabins that were located on one of the lakes, which they had visited before.

Apparently, when they were kids in summer school together, the school took them on boat trips. They used to sing 'raw raw raw your boat' whenever they went there, and Bella drove Charlie nuts by singing and humming it all the time.

Yeah! As if Bella could drive anyone crazy.

My face broke into a small smile as I remembered how our first meetings went, and how she almost drove me out of my mind.

_Oh yeah, that's Bella for you._

And, according to Charlie, she stopped all the singing and humming when her last trip turned out to be a disaster. He told me that she almost drowned, and that ever since then, she was afraid to go near any ocean, lake or even a pool. He had even stopped going fishing because she was always afraid that he would drown, too.

According to the teacher who had accompanied them on that day, it was Mike who had struggled to pull her out of the water.

Struggled!

I mean, I was sure that Bella was a petit kid. And Mike had a good build. So, he was a strong kid then.

So, how could have a sturdy boy _struggled_ to pull some girl out of the water? And, a girl he liked, for that matter.

I didn't think so.

I remembered that when Charlie had passed that piece of information, Jazz and I had exchanged a knowing glance. Both of us had this sick feeling that the bastard, somehow, had a hand in this. Actually, I wouldn't have put it past him to be the one who had pushed her off the boat in the first place.

My jaw clenched at the thought.

_God, I swear…_

I shook my head and took a few deep breaths.

I needed to focus on finding Bella first. And making sure she was unharmed. Because if the bastard touched her... I gulped and felt the blood drain from my face.

If a breath from that son of a bitch even touched her,I'd dedicate my whole body and mind in making up ways to torture the life out of him painfully. _Very_ painfully.

"Whoa, man, would you relax a bit? It's of no use giving yourself an aneurism over only the _thought_ of killing the bastard," Em said quietly, in an unusual manner.

It was then that I noticed that I was gripping the dashboard so hard that my knuckles turned deathly white. I took a deep breath, releasing the dashboard, and nodded.

"You're right," I muttered and looked at him. He was glancing in the rearview mirror, making sure that the brigade was still behind us.

"Yeah, man, save it all to pummel the bastard." Jazz closed his phone as I turned to look at him, then he continued, "'Cause I swear, if it turns out that it was him that almost drowned Bells, I just don't know…" Jazz trailed off, clenching his jaw.

I haven't even noticed that Jazz had stopped talking on his phone.

I stared at Jazz for a minute, our faces breaking into small, almost psychotic, smiles. I knew that we were having the same thoughts on what was about to happen to the bastard.

I nodded minutely at him, still locking gaze with him.

"I think we're getting close. Charlie is signaling me to stop," Em told us, as he slowed to a stop on the side of the road.

The guys and I quickly got out of the car, sprinting to meet Charlie and the two officers. I noticed that Dad also got out of the ambulance and ran to meet us near Charlie's cruiser.

We all stood there, not caring about the pouring rain, and waited for Charlie to talk.

"Okay, guys, there are two cabins on that lake. They are about a mile apart, and I'm not sure which one he's in. So, we will take an inside track through the forest, we'll stop at a safe distance and walk the rest of the way. We will split up at some point, and each group will take a cabin. I can't stress on the importance of being silent and stealthy, although, I'm sure that this storm will mask any sound we make." Charlie looked at the sky, just as the thunder rumbled.

"I'll go with the kids," Dad said and Charlie nodded.

"Guys, better stay close behind me and turn off the lights, you can use my cruiser's break-lights to guide you. Try not to rev the engine, Em. And good luck, guys. Try to bring my baby back safely," Charlie muttered and nodded for us to go.

We ran into Em's jeep, soaked from the rain that continued to pour from the heavens, yet failing to wash our fears away. Dad and I took the back seat, leaving the shotgun seat to Jazz.

I noticed that Dad held his doctor's bag with him. I glared at the offensive object, trying to erase the images of an injured Bella from my mind.

"Better be safe than sorry, son," Dad murmured when he saw my look.

I nodded and we started moving.

We drove in silence for about fifteen minutes through the forest's narrow, bumpy, muddy paths, before Charlie stopped his cruiser. We gathered together for our final instructions.

"Okay, who knows how to use a gun?" Charlie asked in a no-bullshit manner, not looking at Dad.

"I can," Jazz said without hesitation. Dad started to object but Charlie cut in quickly.

"Sorry, Carlisle, I know you hate guns. And I need someone who knows what he's doing around these things. Even if it's just for the show," Charlie said quietly, and Dad sighed in resignation and waved at him dismissively.

Charlie took a Beretta out of its holster and showed it to Jazz.

"Do you know how to use one of these?" Charlie held it up.

Without uttering a word, Jazz took the Beretta from Charlie and checked it for bullets and undid the safety, holding it like a pro.

"Okay." Charlie nodded. "Try not to use it unless _really_ forced to do so. Also, we'll be switching off our walkie-talkies, so we all need to use our cell phones, after setting it on vibrate. Do any of you have a cell phone?" Charlie asked us.

Em took out his cell, set it on vibrate and scrolled down to Charlie's phone number.

"I only need to press the call button," Em told him.

Charlie nodded again.

"Good. Okay, we'll take the hunting cabin, you take the fishing cabin. And we'll be in touch. Remember! Be _stealthy_. Don't use the torch lights unless really necessary and when you're out of sight. We don't need to alarm the bastard. Go!" Charlie dismissed us.

_Okay, here it goes._

We walked in the soaking rain and mud for about ten minutes, before the cabin was in sight.

We slowed down and used the trees and bushes to keep out of sight as we made our way to the cabin. The area was dead-silent. We got closer to the back of the cabin when I noticed a van parked behind some overgrown bushes. We used our small torch lights to check it.

"Do you think that's his?" Em asked, whispering.

"The engine is cold, but considering the weather is this cold, yeah I think it's his," Jazz said, touching the hood of the van with his knuckles.

"Yeah, that would be normal in this weather. Plus, don't forget that it's been here for sometime now. So, even if it hasn't been turned off that long, the engine would still have cooled off quickly," Dad said dismissively.

I nodded and turned to leave when suddenly the light landed on the passenger side window. It was then that I noticed something that knocked the air out of my lungs.

Blood!

There was fucking blood on the passenger side window. And lots of it.

I stood there frozen, staring in terror at the window, all kinds of horrifying scenarios flashing before me.

"What is it, man?" Em asked, coming to stand beside me.

I pointed to the window, hearing the guys curse around me.

"Is it dried?" Dad asked. And he and I reached to the half-open window to check the blood at the same time. We both needed to confirm if the blood was dried in order to get an estimate of how long it had been there. But Jazz swatted both our hands away.

Dad and I glared at him.

"You shouldn't touch that. It's evidence, you should know that by now!" Jazz chastised.

Dad and I narrowed our eyes at him.

Jazz and Em stood beside us, staring at us strangely. I reckoned we were more alike than I thought.

"Dude, this shit is scary." Jazz shook his head and looked at Em.

"Yeah, dude, at least you don't have to live with it at home. Imagine how I feel, living a few doors away from this freaky-business. It's not even funny anymore," Em said wearily, heaving a long sigh.

"Oh, yeah? We'll see what 'this freaky-business' will do about it when we're home." Dad seethed, and I nodded, my eyes still narrowed at him.

Jazz and Em shrugged, turned off their lights and turned to get out of the garage-like area. We did the same and followed them around the house till we saw a soft light filtering out through a window a few feet away. And we heard low voices drifting to us.

I strained, trying to listen but there was no way I could hear anything over the sound of the pouring rain.

Jazz held a finger to his mouth, indicating that we need to stay quiet. We all nodded and followed him slowly.

The voices got louder as we reached the window and it was then that I heard it.

It was my angel.

My Bella was alive.

I gripped Em and Dad's arms, halting their movement, and mouthed 'Bella' to them with a smile. They smiled back at me and Dad gave me a pat on the shoulder.

God, I was a fucking baby.

I let out a long sigh and walked stealthily, ducking to avoid being seen by whoever was inside.

Jazz and Em crouched ahead of us then ducked at both corners of the window. They raised themselves just a little, peeking inside.

"Fuck!" Jazz and Em cursed under their breaths at the same time as they ducked again. And Em pressed the call button to alert Charlie.

Not good!

"What is it? How many people are there? Is Bella okay?" I whispered, prompting them to tell us what they saw.

"It's just that fucker and Bella. It looks like they're eating, but shit, man! Bella is quite banged up. I think we know where that blood we saw on the car window came from," Jazz whispered, looking at Em who nodded his head and closed his phone.

"They're on their way. It will take them a few minutes on foot, though," Em whispered.

Okay, I needed to see what they were talking about, because my temper was already flaring, picturing all those bad images in my head. I tried to peek inside and someone gripped my arm, pulling me away from the window.

I turned my head and found out it was Jazz. I opened my mouth to tell him off, but he shook his head.

"No time, man, we need to get her out of—" Jazz was cut off, when the sound of a loud thud, followed by a crash, along with Mike's roar came out from cabin.

_Bella!_

Everything started to happen quickly after that.

I tried to bolt inside but was blocked by Jazz.

"Get out of my way, Jazz." I growled, trying to get past him into the cabin to meet Bella.

He blocked my attempt, looking at me with blazing eyes.

"Man, he might have a gun. We need to sneak upon him." He turned and gave instructions to Dad and Em.

I raised myself again and took a peek inside.

The sight in front of me was my undoing.

The fucker towered over a doubled-over Bella—whose face gave my bruised one a run for its money— and yelled at her.

But that wasn't what set me off.

The son-of-a-bitch slapped her.

Hard.

I lost it.

I bolted inside, leaving the guys to bite the dust.

I turned the door handle and it opened without any resistance. Apparently, the asshat didn't think someone would find them.

I found myself in the kitchen area. It was a simple kitchen with a wooden table in the middle. I looked around searching for something to use as a weapon. But there was nothing. I saw a champagne bottle sitting on the table.

_Well, that will have to do._

I grabbed the neck of the bottle and bolted inside, just as the guys came through the door.

I was afraid I would alert the bastard, but I supposed that wasn't my concern.

The fucker's back was facing the door, and he was busy kicking Bella in the ribs.

"I bought you champagne! Champagne! For heaven's sake and not just any kind, the expensive kind! I wanted to celebrate the beginning of our relationship with you! I wanted to drink to your health!" the bastard shouted.

_Well, let's do__ just that, mother-fucker!_

"Cheers to that, Asshole!" I growled at him as I hit him—full force—with the champagne bottle.

The bottle hit his head and he yelped in pain. Blood gushed out from his head wound before he could cover it with his hand.

He backed away and tripped, falling against the bed.

I crouched beside Bella who was whimpering and wrapping her middle with her left arm. Her right shoulder was hunched in an odd angle.

"Edward." She burst into tears.

"I'm here, love. I'm here. You're safe." I lifted her up a bit, holding her head to my shoulder, afraid of hurting her more.

"What hurts, baby? Tell me." I brushed her hair from her face.

"Edward!" she shouted, looking over my shoulder in horror.

I ducked my head quickly, covering her with my body, just as I heard the whizzing of an object flying near my head. The object crashed behind me.

Fuck!

That was so fucking close!

I turned quickly to see a small table broken to pieces beside me.

The fucker was standing on the other side of the bed, panting hard with blood dripping from his head.

Apparently the champagne bottle wasn't enough to knock him out.

Maybe a champagne case would have been better.

I released Bella gently and turned to face the fucker who, _now_, was holding a gun.

Good.

Now, when I killed the bastard 'by mistake' they would rule it as self-defense.

"Put the gun down, now." Jazz threatened from the door, pointing his gun at Mike.

"Mr. Newton, you need to put the gun down. Right now. Before someone gets hurt," Dad said in a grave tone.

"Yeah, sure." Mike shrugged and cocked the hammer, pointing it at Bella who whimpered, "is this better?" Mike quipped.

I crouched protectively in front of Bella, trying to block her body from the gun's line of shooting.

"Jazz, put the gun down, or he will really shoot!" Bella said with wide, fearful eyes.

"You should listen to her, _Jazzy," _Mike mocked.

"Now, _you,_ lower your gun before someone really, and I mean _really,_ gets hurt," Mike said in a menacing voice.

When Jazz tensed and cocked his gun as well, Mike's eyes narrowed at him and he wiped the blood off the side of his face with his free hand.

"You think I'm joking, don't you?" His nostrils flared and he fired his gun.

The fucker fired his fucking gun!

It looked like he was aiming for my leg. I hissed and Bella yelped loudly. I felt the bullet graze the side of my calf, but I kept my protective stance in front of her. I turned to assure her that I was okay, when I noticed that her left hand—that was bracing her ribs—moved to cover the side of her calf. Blood was seeping from under her palm.

What the fuck was I? A scarecrow!

I growled.

"Well, what do you know, two for one," Mike said in a smug voice. "Now, as you can see, I'm _not_ joking. I used to go with Dad on his hunting trips, so you know that my aim won't miss. Put it down. Now!" he threatened, cocking the hammer again.

"Fuck! Shoot him, Jazz!" Em boomed from behind.

Jazz tensed, his finger shaking on the trigger. The surprise of Mike shooting us petrified him.

"I only grazed her calf, are you willing to bet on her life that I can kill her before you shoot me?" Mike sneered, not even acknowledging my injury.

The fucker was that sure of himself.

Well, shit!

I knew that Charlie was approaching quickly. And I wanted to handle the fucker myself with my own fucking hands, which were itching to get a hold of the asshole.

"Dad, can you please come and tend to Bella's wounds?" I asked him, then shifted my gaze to Mike.

"Jazz, put the gun down, please," I said calmly, my gaze fixed on Mike's gun. "Mike and I have a matter _in hands_ to attend to." I emphasized on the 'in hands_' _part, hoping he'd take the hint.

Mike nodded at Dad to move. And Dad moved to Bella's side to check her injuries.

"Oh, do listen to _Eddie_, _Jazzy_." Mike smirked at me, "he's actually right for once." He kept moving his gaze between both Jazz and I.

"Yes, he dislocated my shoulder so I won't be able to run away." Bella sniffled behind me.

_What?_

I turned to look at Bella, my eyes blazing.

"He dislocated your shoulder?" I asked her and she nodded. I narrowed my eyes, asking the dreadful question, "on purpose?" I breathed.

She eyed me reluctantly, then nodded again.

I closed my eyes, trying to grasp at the remains of my self-control.

The fucker was asking for it. _Badly_.

"How bad is your injury?" Dad asked me, without looking up from his work.

"It's nothing, the bullet just grazed me. For now, please, just take care of Bella," I breathed. Then I turned back to check the exchange between Jazz and the _dead-in-the-future_ asshole.

"Okay, but you need to put it down, too," Jazz said as he started lowering his gun.

"Of course." Mike's icy stare followed Jazz's gun as it was lowered to the ground.

"Good, now kick it away and both you and big-Cullen take a few steps back." Mike instructed as he lowered his gun.

Jazz kicked the gun to the deserted corner of the room and Mike's gun followed.

The moment Mike's gun was on the floor I lunged at him.

Punches and kicks flew between us as our grunts and hisses filled the room.

The bastard was a fucking machine!

"Dude, this guy is crazy, be careful, it looks like he has a high pain threshold," Jazz raised his voice over our grunts and groans.

_You think?_

_No shit, Sherlock._

My bruised face took more beatings from the fucker, while his already messed-up face was becoming almost unrecognizable.

I used my wrapped-up hand as a leverage to punch his face and ribs, stopping short of breaking it, and then I switched to my other hand.

I managed to break a couple of his ribs and knock a couple of his teeth before Charlie burst through the door, ordering both of us to stop.

I took advantage of Mike's distraction, and did a high kick, making contact with his shoulder, causing him to howl with pain. I was sure that I'd dislocated his shoulder.

_A shoulder for a shoulder._

Charlie pulled me away from Mike, who doubled over, holding his injured shoulder. Em and Jazz grabbed him from behind, while he thrashed and kicked like a wild beast.

The fucker was running on Demon fuel, I swear.

"Stop it, son, we've got him now," Charlie said loudly, pulling me away from Mike.

I wanted so badly to complete the work of art I was doing on the asshole's face. After all, I was a perfectionist.

_Oh, and did I say that Picasso's work was my muse?_

"The fucker dislocated Bella's shoulder on purpose." I panted, still trying to get out of Charlie's grip hoping to end the son-of-a-bitch.

Em and Jazz's faces turned grim. And Charlie's body tensed. Dad called Charlie from behind us.

"Where are your officers?" Dad asked Charlie who was staring intensely at Mike.

"They're securing the premises and calling the troops to tell them that we've found Newton and Bella. They should be collecting evidence as we speak," Charlie answered with a calculating gaze, then turned to look at Dad.

"Oh, and in case you want to know, Charlie, Bella has a dislocated shoulder, a broken rib among some badly bruised ones. A cut on her face that will need stitching, bruises on her face and a sprained ankle. The gunshot has only grazed her flesh, nothing serious. I also think that she has a concussion, which she got from when Mike threw her against the wall. So, I won't be able to give her any sedatives." Dad gave us a list of Bella's injuries.

"Edward, I'll need you to help me re-locate Bella's shoulder, like I taught you back at the hospital." Dad cocked his head in my direction. I looked at Charlie who nodded for me to go.

I looked at the guys, making sure that they had a good grip on the fucker, who was smirking at me, then I turned to help Dad.

I crouched down behind Bella, letting her lean on me, while ignoring the throbbing pain from where the bullet grazed my calf.

"It will hurt only a moment, but once this is done, the pain will lessen considerably," Dad told Bella who nodded at him. She looked like she was in so much pain.

The room was silent for a few seconds while Dad and I worked.

"Sorry, love," I breathed and stroked her hair, then placed my hand on her shoulder like Dad taught me before. And Dad held her arm.

"We do this on the count of three, are you ready, dear?" Dad asked.

"Yes," Bella whispered and closed her eyes.

Then he nodded minutely at me.

Shit!

I knew this nod.

It meant that he would do it after the count of one, so the surprise could take the edge off the pain.

"Ready?" I whispered at Bella, and she nodded one last time with her eyes still closed.

Dad held my gaze and counted, "one."

Both Dad and I pulled and pushed the shoulder in the needed directions, feeling Bella's shoulder pop right into place.

Bella cried in both pain and surprise, and then she burst into tears.

"It's okay, love, it's all done. See, there is no pain any more. Please, don't cry." I held her to me as she wept against my chest.

"Sorry, you had to go through that, dear, but the pain is relieved a bit when you don't expect it." Dad apologized.

"As I said, I can't give you anything that would put you to sleep, just in case you have a concussion. We'll move you in a bit, once the MDs have the stretcher. You want Edward to ride with you?" Dad asked, trying to distract her from the pain.

She nodded against my chest, sobbing. She looked so exhausted. The gravity of what she had been through seemed to take a toll on her at that moment.

"Thank you, Carlisle," Charlie said, then turned to Mike.

"Now, I'm trying to understand you, Mr. Newton. Why would you hurt Bella when you claim to love her? You said you wanted her all for yourself, so I'm assuming that's why you took her in the first place. So, please tell me why you would hurt someone you claim to love? What made you do this?" Charlie asked in a very steady voice that indicated he was calm, but in cop mode.

Mike smirked at him with his bloody face.

"What? You think I'd let her wander around freely, like _you_ let her, waiting for something to happen to her. Huh? I mean, she's already hooked with that man-whore right there." Mike cocked his head at me, and I growled.

Then he continued, "And, apparently, you can't keep her safe. I mean, I was able to get into your house on more than one occasion. And I was able to enter the house and come out without being noticed," He scoffed, shaking his head. Charlie still stared at him, without uttering a word, waiting for him to continue.

"And what did you do? Nothing! You all were scurrying around like headless roosters. Don't you think I'd learn from such a rookie mistake?" Mike sneered at him, "I mean, you managed to take her away from me once. Do you think I was going to let you do it again?" Mike spat blood on the floor, near Charlie's shoes.

Bella flinched, her body trembling a bit, "Daddy," she whimpered loudly.

Charlie turned to her and blanched.

And there it was—the vein protruding in Charlie's temple.

I could see it, pulsing hard and fast in his head, even from where I crouched beside Bella.

He took a deep breath, then narrowed his eyes and turned to Mike taking a step towards him.

"Touché, Mr. Newton." Charlie clapped once, twice, thrice.

Mike and the guys looked at him in surprise.

_Oh, I know it's coming.__ Wait for it, guys._

So, I did the wisest thing and covered Bella's face with my hand, making sure to block her from seeing whatever was about to happen.

"Get me a stretcher, please," Dad ordered the MD, who chose that moment to come through the door holding his equipment.

He nodded and turned quickly to comply.

Charlie said nothing as he regarded Mike impassively for a few seconds.

"You know, Mike, I heard that in order to hinder someone's escape, all you have to do is dislocate their kneecap like this." Charlie surprised Mike with this low kick, dislocating his right kneecap, making Mike howl in pain.

_Shit! That's gotta hurt like hell. __Good!_

_Now, how come I haven't thought of doing that before?_

I knew that Charlie wanted to do more, but he was trying his hardest to maintain his control. Mike shifted his weight in order to stand on his other leg.

"That's police brutality! I will get you for this! You and those two thick-headed fuckers who think they will get away with this!" Mike spouted nonsense at Charlie and the guys.

_Was this guy for real?_

I figured the beating he took, along with the fact that he got caught made him lose his mind.

Jazz and Em glared at him.

"Hey! No cussing, asshole!" Bella snapped at him weakly, teetering on the edge of consciousness.

"What is it, love?" I prompted her softly when I saw that she wanted to say more. All the people in the room looked at her, except for Dad who was still working on her ankle and leg wound.

Bella wet her lips and gulped, then touched the cut on her face with her hand. "I got this when I cussed in front of him in the car." She panted as if this simple action—of her talking and raising her hand—took a great deal of strength.

It took every ounce of self-control and love for Bella, not to just jump on the bastard and snap his neck on the spot.

Jazz and Em glared at him then looked at each other.

"Well, back to the subject of _crippling_ someone's escape," Jazz drawled in his usual calm tone. Knowing he was anything but calm.

"As Chief Swan said, you can either dislocate a kneecap, or…" Jazz looked at Em who took over, "you can just break their ankle, like this." Em did this kick from his side, and we heard Mike's ankle break.

"Fuck!" Mike bellowed, as he doubled over again, not able to stand any more.

"Oh, and there is a lady present, so, mind your..." Jazz snapped, punching Mike hard in the face knocking him out of consciousness, "language!" Jazz finished. Then, he and Em let go of his arms, leaving him to drop in a bloody heap on the floor.

One of the MDs stood at the door with a weary look, "should I bring the other stretcher?" he asked, eyeing Mike disdainfully.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

…

Mike and Bella were transported to the hospital in an ambulance. I rode with Bella, and kept talking to her to make sure that she stayed conscious.

We met Mom, the girls and JC at the hospital where it was relatively quiet due to the late hour when we had arrived.

I kept pacing the waiting room as I waited for Dad to come to tell us about how Bella was doing. Em and Jazz updated the ladies on what happened back at the cabin.

Charlie left the crime scene informing his officers of what happened before he came with us.

JC kept flailing his arms at me, as I paced, trying to get me to hold him. I didn't want to hold him because I was covered in both Mike's blood and mine.

And even though Mom was about to have a fit, I refused to let anyone check the bruises and wounds from my fight with Mike, waiting to ensure that Bella was fine.

I looked at JC, who was now giggling thinking that I was playing with him, and took him from Mom.

"Hey, little guy, I missed you today. We'll go see mommy soon. You miss her, don't you?" I cooed at him, grateful for the distraction he was providing, then took a seat next to Charlie.

Charlie was a different matter. He looked sickly pale and his knee was bouncing so fast, it was almost gave me motion-sickness.

Alice came and sat beside him, but he didn't acknowledge her. I doubted he even saw her.

She placed her hand on his bouncing knee, stopping it and startling him. He turned to look at her to find her smiling at him.

"She's gonna be okay, Charlie. It's over now and she's safe. She'll be okay," Alice assured him softly, then enveloped him in a tight hug.

The room regarded the scene in sad silence.

He blinked quickly a few times, before raising his arms and giving Alice a one-armed hug.

God, I'd never seen him this sad before. It scared the shit out of me.

Then we waited…

And waited…

Then waited some more.

It was around 2am when Dad came to see us.

We all leapt to our feet, eager to hear what he had to say.

"She's fine." He raised a reassuring hand, interrupting any questions we had.

We all heaved a long sigh.

"She will take some time to heal, but nonetheless, she will make full recovery. The concussion wasn't that bad. She's all wrapped up and on her pain meds." Dad spoke calmly.

Charlie sat down again, giving out another long sigh and burying his face in his hands.

"What about the fucker?" I asked, needing to know and hoping that he somehow didn't make it.

"Language!" Mom snapped. The guys and I rolled our eyes and we turned back to Dad.

"Is he gonna make it, Carlisle?" Charlie asked gravely.

"Mr. Newton's status is less than acceptable. He took quite a lot of beating and lost a considerable amount of blood. But should he pass this stage, we believe that he will make full recovery. It will take him a longer time to heal than Bella, though." Dad assured him, then continued, "He'll be up and ready for his life sentence in no time at all." Dad smirked at me, then winked.

"I need to check his age first, and then we'll see about that life sentence." Charlie nodded and stood up, heading to the door.

"Oh, haven't I told you?" Dad asked, smirking in amusement.

"Told me what?" Charlie looked at him, confused.

"I have checked Mike's file. His birthday is in January. That makes him an adult for the duration of this whole year, when he committed all those murders." Dad nodded, then continued, "just thought you'd want to know." He smirked evilly.

Charlie guffawed suddenly, startling us. I figured the stress had taken its toll on him too.

"Thanks, Carlisle, I owe you my life. I presume this adds more to my debt." Charlie smiled and shook his head.

Dad waved him off.

"Can I see Bella?" I jumped into the conversation, not being able to wait any more.

"Her next of kin should go first, you know this, Edward." Dad chided, then turned to Charlie, "Charlie, you can go see your daughter now." Dad cocked his head to the door.

"Plus, someone needs to check your injuries," Dad approached me to do his check up, but I took a step back.

I knew it was a long shot, but I looked at Charlie, hoping that he would let me go see Bella first.

Charlie eyed me jadedly for a few seconds, then sighed.

"I suppose you earned that right. You saved her life. She could have died if you hadn't gotten to her first." He nodded to the door.

"Here, I'll take JC." Mom approached me.

I smiled and shook my head, "I'm sure Bella would love to see JC right now." I made my way to the door with JC held in my arms.

"Hey, little guy, wanna go see mommy?" I cooed at him, making my way to Bella's room.

I entered Bella's room and was stopped by the sight that almost made my heart stop.

A sickly pale Bella was lying motionless on the bed. Her hair was splayed on the pillow. Her face and arms were covered in bruises. The cut on her face was covered in gauze. She was connected to the heart monitor, which beeped rhythmically with each beat of her heart.

Her right ankle was wrapped up and raised on a pillow to reduce the swelling.

She looked so fragile and utterly broken.

Far too broken.

I approached her slowly, not wanting to startle her.

_Fat chance._

Once JC noticed that it was Bella who was lying on the bed, he started crying for her and stretching his arms to get closer to her.

Bella woke up from her sleep, the heart monitor giving a few stuttering fast beeps.

She opened her eyes looking disoriented for a moment. It took her a few seconds to focus her eyes on me. Then she smiled slowly.

A smile that made my heart skip a few of its own beats.

"Hey, love, how are you feeling now?" I asked her softly.

"Alive," she breathed, her smile still in place.

"Look who has come to see you." I turned in order for her to see JC who was trying to throw himself at her.

Her smile widened, which was exactly what I was hoping to do by bringing JC to her.

"Hey, baby. I missed you," she said weakly, her breath coming in soft pants.

My heart broke when I saw the effort she was making to utter those few words.

Her eyes squinted to focus on my battered face, then she reached her hand to touch it softly, "You? Charlie?" Her voice cracked. The heart monitor indicated that her heat rate was increasing.

Still, even though she didn't say more than those two words, I knew exactly what she was asking me.

"I'm okay. We're all okay. And most importantly, you're safe, love, he can't come near you any more. My only regret is that I didn't get the chance to finish him off right then and there." I stroked her hair gently.

"We're safe," she whispered, her eyes welling with tears.

"We're safe." I nodded with a smile, bending awkwardly to kiss her forehead.

A broken sob escaped her mouth as she tried to take a breath. Then the dam broke.

She broke down and started sobbing loudly. The whole events of the day crashed down on her. The heart monitor started beeping loudly indicating the stress her heart was going through.

"Hey, shhhh… you're okay. Calm down. Please, calm down." I kept stroking her hair to soothe her, while trying not to freak out.

JC started crying. I groaned internally, wanting to kill myself. I didn't know what to do.

"Hey, baby, calm down. Bella is okay." Mom appeared out of nowhere and took JC from me. I sighed in relief then I turned my attention to Bella, to try and calm her.

Charlie and Dad followed Mom into the room with us.

"Honey, you're okay. Please calm down." Charlie took Bella's hand and started stroking it gently.

"D-d-d… Da- Daddy." Bella hiccupped, her whole body wrecking with sobs.

"Shhhh, you're safe, honey. It's over now." A tear trickled down Charlie's cheek, as he wiped Bella's tears gently. I think he was afraid of hurting her.

By then, the heart monitor was beeping like crazy. And our soothing attempts weren't having any effect on her.

"Bella, you need to calm down, or I'll have to sedate you," Dad spoke calmly behind me.

Dad told Mom to take JC outside when he noticed that he hadn't stopped crying.

"Okay, that's not acceptable. Charlie, I'm giving Bella some sedatives to put her to sleep." Dad turned around the bed and pressed the button for the nurse.

"Please, calm down," I pleaded with her, but it seemed like she was unable to stop.

A few seconds later, the nurse came in and injected some sedative into the tube that was already feeding meds into Bella's arm.

"Okay, out everyone. Let her rest." Dad ushered Charlie, whose eyes never left Bella's face, to the door.

"You too, son. Her sedative will take a few moments to kick in." Dad gave me a pointed look.

"No!" Bella cried, holding my hand tightly—well, as tight as she could in her state—not wanting to let go.

"Don't go, please. Don't leave me. Stay," She pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

I turned to look at Dad and Charlie.

Dad came to my side. "Bella, we need to check on Edward's injuries and you need to rest. He'll be only a few feet away from you. He can come visit you when you wake up." Dad's eyes flickered to the heart monitor that was still beeping erratically.

"Please," She pleaded again, still not letting go of me. I wasn't even sure that she was conscious enough to understand what she was doing or asking.

"Carlisle, just let him stay, you can stitch him up here, right? She needs to calm down." Charlie stood at the foot of the bed as he eyed the heart monitor frantically.

Dad sighed.

"Fine, Edward, you stay here." Dad turned to the nurse, giving her instructions on what to bring to take care of my wounds.

"Shhh, sweetie, he's here. Edward won't leave you." Charlie went back to Bella's side and patted her hand. He had a distant look in his eyes as Bella stared back at him.

"I was afraid he would hurt you." She hiccupped, talking to Charlie.

Charlie's face darkened and an emotion flickered in his eyes.

"He won't hurt you again. Not you, not anyone else. Ever," Charlie murmured, like he was talking to himself.

Charlie straightened and walked rigidly to the foot of the bed. Dad stood beside him and patted him on the back. Charlie stared at Bella for a few seconds, his nostrils flaring. Then he looked at Dad and nodded at him before turning and leaving the room with blazing eyes.

Bella's sobs quieted but didn't stop.

I kept shushing her, noticing how her eyelids started drooping.

"Here is the tray, Doctor Cullen." The nurse pushed a tray that contained a few needles, bandage, iodine, scissors and thread for Dad to stitch me up.

"Don't leave," Bella murmured, her eyes were unable to stay open.

"I won't." I promised.

I bent down to kiss her forehead when a sound of a gun shot echoed somewhere in the floor, followed by a ruckus.

Bella gasped, her eyes snapped open again. And I jumped, standing up straight and looking at the door, expecting someone to burst through it.

"Stay with Bella," Dad ordered and ran to the door.

"What happened?" Dad asked a male nurse standing outside the door.

"Some guy shot the kid who came earlier with the girl!" he answered and ran down the corridor.

Shit!

_Charlie?_

"Daddy!" Bella gasped in horror and passed out.

**End Chapter ****Twenty-Four**

**A/N: ****DUN DUN DUN! Charlieeeee! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I hope you liked the Mike-Edward fight and the cabin scene. Please, review and tell me what do you think is gonna happen or what actually happened for that matter ;) Again thanks to those who are still with me.**

**Luv ya**** all!**


	29. GiggleSnort Awards Nominations

To all my sweet faithful readers and amazing, wonderful reviewers :)

Before anything else, I'd like to apologize for this crazy delay in posting.. I know it's not as long as the last wait and I hope it won't be as long, but RL has been kicking my ass lately—since I don't have a job and currently looking for one—and my muse is on leave for the time being… still… I bear you good news

My story You Don't Know Anything has been **nominated** for not 1… not 2… but **3** **Giggle/Snort awards**! Yes, people!

First one is… **Best High School/ College – Big Fish**

Second one is… **Best All Human – Big Fish**

Third one is… **Best Overall – Big ass belly laughs**

The link for voting is

awards(dot)gigglesnort(dot)net/viewpage(dot)php?page_id=7

**Voting ends on July 2****nd****.**

Please vote for my story… This news has really made me happy and I really hope I can update soon, since I'm in a better mood.

Again. Your continuous support and kind words are beyond words for me… even the people who had left reviews with a few words made me smile so wide I seriously can't thank you all enough for all of the love you've been sending my way… Love you all!

And since I can't leave you with nothing… here is a small teaser from the next chapter…

…

"Edward, would you drop it! He wasn't unprofessional. He wasn't flirting. He did his job. And he was only being _nice_!" Bella snapped.

I rolled my eyes at her gullibility.

_Being nice, my ass!_

"Who was flirting with you, Bella?" Dad asked, as he took her blood pressure.

"_Edward_ thinks that Dr. bad-comb-over, who did the M.R.I. just now, was flirting with Bella," Alice tells Dad, with a disgusted look.

_The fucker did have a bad-comb-over…_

_I think the poor comb is still stuck there somewhere._

"You mean the old guy with the bad-hair-day?" Em asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Actually he's a young guy… but a bad-hair-_decade_ is more like his case." Dad murmured under his breath, earning giggles from the girls and chuckles from the guys.

"Carlisle! That's not nice!" Mom chastised him, trying her best to stifle her smile.

"Bad-ass, Dr. Cullen," Emmett hooted, earning a glare from Dad.

"That guy has taped to his head what looks like something that was pulled out of a shower drain." Rosalie said in a calm voice, not looking up from filing her nails.

A chorus of "Ewww," and "that's disgusting," filled the room, making Rose look up.

"It's true." She shrugged.

"Bella. He _was_ flirting. You can ask Jazz since he was there with Alice and I in the control room. He heard him," I said in a dead-serious tone. Jazz nodded.

"Edward, I'll be out in a few days! What will you have me do? Yell at him? Pull a tantrum to get another doctor? What?" Bella asked exasperatedly.

"Wear my ring," I said, and the room went dead silent.

…


End file.
